Vampire Hunter
by Waltz Alone
Summary: Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood… Set in 3000 A.D. RATING CHANGED TO M.
1. Chapter 1: Fangs

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Display Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me. "Let's commit something unforgivable…" With that his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood… Set in 3000 A.D., "the Era of Chaos."

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Whoop! Finally,a full-length, non-Shopaholic-Sakura CCS fic by me! I've always had this concept of the future… how advancing technology ruins humankind and results in ultimate chaos. AND I've always wanted to do a vampire fic :) I searched the title "Vampire Hunter" in the CCS section and nothing showed up, so I have a unique title so far!

Of course, unlike the shopaholic series, this isn't a comedy-based fic, so there won't be AS MUCH humor, but that will be filled in with other things… ;) But I will add humor here and there often… As always, I am aiming for **uniqueness and humanly characters!** I absolutely love vampires, and the sexiness they can create... mwhaha. so watch out for that... :)

There will be many more canon characters here than there was in Shopaholic - Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo, Eriol, Touya, Yukito, Nakuru, Meilin, Fujitaka, Nadeshiko, Kaho and many new original characters…

**Please read and review!** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

I hope you enjoy the story! (fingers crossed)

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**NOTE: This story is being edited according to the new M rating. (Aug 2008) However, the M rating is MUCH more evident in later chapters... :)

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 1 - Fangs**

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"The guilty one is not he who commits the sins, but the one who causes the darkness."

_- Victor Hugo_

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It is 3000 A.D. – the Era of Chaos. The world is completely different from what it was in the past. Cities, towns and villages in every country have their own "time"; some cities are composed of up-to-date technology, some towns use concepts and knowledge from 2000 A.D., and other villages rely on ancient traditions and knowledge. However, half-humans such as vampires and werewolves were becoming a threat to everyone, regardless of where they lived.

As technology advanced, scientists were able to alter DNAs of human beings to become "special." This caused riots across the world, led by those who opposed such scandalous experiments. The scientists never revealed the reason for creating these "creatures." Consequently, on a fateful day known as the Crimson Night, every half-human held captive in the labs and cells broke free, killing and destroying everyone and thing in their paths. Many lives were lost, and most of the research done in the labs was destroyed. So, these half-humans now roam freely among us, unnoticed – until their monster side consumes their human sides. Half-human attacks are as common as ordinary criminal attacks nowadays, if not more prominent. It's been five years since these creatures escaped.

And it is the duty of "Hunters" to track down dangerous half-beings and ensure they don't harm civilians. I, Sakura Kinomoto, am a specialty Hunter – I specifically target those who crave for blood. I am a Vampire Hunter.

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"Look out!" I yell, dodging numerous shards of glass.

I catch a glimpse of chestnut-coloured hair not far up ahead from me, and I continue to run towards him.

"Sakura, get the hell out of there!" he warns sharply, and to my alarm, a line of cloaked figures surround me. They're as pale as snow, and their sharp fangs are dripping with blood from their most recent victim.

Vampires.

"Syaoran!" I brace myself as the vampires lunge forwards towards me. Taking a deep breath, I jump as soon as I spot a small object flying towards me. I wince as I land with a painful shock to my feet, activating the gun and consecutively shooting it at each vampire. As the bullets strike their hearts, each of them shrieks horribly in agony. Such inhumane creatures…

I turn to the last standing vampire; only to realize I've run out of ammo power. The gun is purring softly, charging itself up to be able to fire again.

"Shit," I hiss and urgently reach for my belt. However, the vampire's already charging towards me, its deadly eyes flickering with bloodlust. Its fangs… ready to bite into me… I fumble with my belt pocket – a grave mistake. The_ creature_ is reaching for me with its terrible hands… Dirtied, savage hands… Don't let it touch me…

I shut my eyes as a loud noise echoes throughout the alleyway. I hear a soft _thud_ by my feet.

"You're hopeless," Syaoran mutters, smirking and unlocking his gun.

"Shut up," I mumble, embarrassed.

"You know, most Vampire Hunters get used to vampires lunging themselves at them after a year or two of fieldwork…" he raises his eyebrows and kicks the corpses towards the walls.

"What part of "shut up" do you not understand?" I scowl, throwing my gun at him.

He catches it and whistles, grinning.

Syaoran Li is an arrogant bastard and my partner. He's the one who trained me and helped me for the past three years. He has been a Hunter for much longer than I have, and is well-known in the Hunters' society. Past all the skills and glory, though, he's just a hypocrite. To think that I was taken by how good-looking he was on our first encounter… But now that I know him, I don't want to tell him that to his face. I shudder at the thought of what Syaoran would do if I told him he was hot. I could just picture him, smirking like a narcissist he is, whispering meaningless, dirty words in my ears… I sigh and shake the thought out of my head.

"Let's get back to the Barastelle, shall we?" he hops onto his motorbike. I nod and jump on behind him.

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"I absolutely _hate _flying motorcycles," I grumble, collapsing onto a couch.

"It wasn't that bad," Syaoran scoffs, "Although I admit, the air traffic was pretty bad today."

We're in the Barastelle, the agency where all Hunters come to. This is our headquarters – the command centre. Here, Hunters train and research, Analysts gather and share information with the Hunters, and Commanders give out missions to the Hunter teams. A typical team consists of two Vampire Hunters, two Werewolf Hunters and an Analyst. And not to brag or anything, but Syaoran and I are currently ranked as the number one Vampire Hunter pair, with the most number of vampires caught and missions accomplished. We've held this spot since last year.

"Welcome back," a soft voice greets us from behind. I turn to face Tomoyo Daidouji, our Analyst.

"Have you gotten anything about the massacre at the Academy?" I ask hopefully.

She shakes her head, smiling. "Seriously, Sakura, people would think that you actually _care_ for the details before going to slaughter vampires."

Syaoran snorts before I punch him.

"Good morning, all," another voice approaches us, "Oh, _very _good morning to _you,_ Tomoyo," he adds in a sugar-coated tone.

I roll my eyes. Eriol Hiiragizawa, the Werewolf Hunter on our team, is absolutely head over the heels for Tomoyo. He hits on her every chance he gets. It's disturbing sometimes.

"Hello, Eriol," Tomoyo laughs easily, used to Eriol's flirtatious behavior.

"Hey, listen," he winks, "How about we leave these two dimwits to themselves and have coffee together or something?"

"We're sorry for being dimwits," Syaoran mutters, his hands visibly itching to knock Eriol's teeth out.

"Don't take it to the heart, Syaoran, you know I love you," Eriol claps Syaoran's shoulder aggressively with a grin, winking once more. Syaoran grins in reply and puts an arm around him, winking back. I roll my eyes, pretending to barf. Losers.

"Well, well, what do we have here!" a high-pitched voice cuts into my ears, to my great annoyance. "The Barastelle's top Vampire Hunter pair!" (Eriol mutters, "And the hottest Werewolf Hunter and Analyst," and Tomoyo actually giggles. I roll my eyes again.)

I glare at those ruby-coloured eyes, wanting nothing more than to shove a slug in to that mouth.

Standing haughtily against the walls are Meilin Li and her partner, Ewan Townsend. The latter smiles and waves at me.

"It's too early in the morning for this, Meilin Li," I say coolly, feeling a headache rising already. But she's not even listening to me. She's all over Syaoran, laughing and craning in closer to him, flicking her black hair everywhere. I feel my lip twitch.

"Oh, Syaoran, I'd just _love _it if you gave me private shooting lessons!" she bats her eyelashes, causing Eriol to snort and Tomoyo to purse her lips very tightly. My eyes twitch in annoyance.

Syaoran grins nonchalantly. "Shame you're on our rivaling team, Meilin," he sighs, "Otherwise I would have loved to help you out," he winks, patting her head.

"Oh, shut up," I snap irritably, tempted to imitate Meilin's dialogue.

"Ooh, I think someone's jealous," Meilin smirks, raising her eyebrows.

"You're jealous, Sakura?" Syaoran opens his eyes widely, "Why didn't you just say so? Don't worry, there's no other girl for me than you," he says dramatically, reaching in to hug me lecherously.

I throw a book straight at his face before striding away from them all.

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Seriously, what fine example they're setting for newbies! The new Hunters are going to think that this job is all flowers and hearts. They might even take advantage of us, thinking that we're nothing but a bunch of airheaded freaks! I'm going to grab Syaoran by the hair and…

Oops. I bumped into someone…

…Namely, Yukito and my brother.

I blush feverishly. "I'm so sorry!"

Touya rolls his eyes at me, "Seriously, what am I going to do with this ditzy, dim-witted sister of mine?"

"Shut up, Touya," I snap.

"That's Commander Kinomoto to you," he growls back.

Yukito laughs, "Now, now, _Commander Kinomoto_, be nice."

I raise my head and suppress the urge to kick my beloved brother. Before I can do anything, though, my badge lightens up. A calling from the Commander. "I'll see you later then," I wave with a smile at Yukito, ignore my brother and hurry towards the transporter. I step onto the platform and call out, "Commander Montague's office." With a blinding flash of white light, I'm standing directly in front of the Commander's doors. I knock and proceed.

"Sakura Kinomoto reporting, Commander Montague."

There is silence.

"Commander?" I call out, tensing when there's no reply. I look around, eyeing the open windows and the unorganized paperwork. I take in the sight of the books lying all over the ground, and the withered flowers in the vase. "Commander Montague," I call once more.

"Die, you monster!!" I jump as I hear the Commander yell.

"Commander!" I instinctively activate my gun and run towards his voice.

"You can't kill me! Who do you think I am?" he screams. There's a loud crashing noise.

"Hold it right there!" I aim the gun at where the monster should be. Except… there's a large TV screen instead of a creature. I stare at the gory fight scene before me, my expression impassive as I watch the Commander's character slash, hack and shoot through various demons and monsters. I don't even blink when blood splatters all over the graphic floor, spilling guts and God-knows-what-organ-that-is.

"Sakura, help me!" the Commander looks over at me pleadingly. His character takes a blow to his stomach, and the Commander lets out of scream of disbelief. My eyes slowly come onto the controllers he's holding. I grit my teeth, preparing my lungs for my outburst.

"Damn it, Commander, you're playing a fucking _game_?" I yell as loud as I can, chucking my gun at him.

He dodges it and chuckles. Then there's a sound of a somber music from the game, signaling the words "Game Over." The Commander screams, nearly ripping out his blond hair. "You made me lose! You made me fucking lose! No!" he grabs the TV screen and shakes it. "I couldn't even save… I was at the final round…"

I roll my eyes. "If this is why you called me, I'll be on my way."

"Stop right there," his voice suddenly deepens. I freeze. "You made me lose an important round of _Devil May Cry: Reloaded_…" he suddenly grabs my arm. My lips curl up in irritation. "You'll have to pay for that…" he murmurs into my ear, "with your body."

"_SHUT THE HELL UP!_" I kick him as hard as I can, watching with satisfaction as he crashes into the wall.

"You haven't lost your touch yet, I'm proud of you!" he emerges with a broad grin and begins to laugh loudly. I roll my eyes, disengaging my gun.

"Seriously, Commander, if you want to joke around, call Syaoran," I jerk my thumb towards my partner, who walks into the room and laughs, instantly comprehending the situation. He pats my head and gives a wave at the Commander.

Commander Montague kicks his game system and advances towards his desk, retrieving a disk and handing them to us. "Read it."

We obey.

A screen emerges from the small disk, with an Analyst reporting his research. _"Request for action to Commander Montague. According to several witnesses, a vampire has been spotted in the city of San Francisco. The creature is a female, described to have long, wavy blond hair, blue eyes and a tattoo on her upper right arm. She has consumed on over twenty civilians in a week, and it is believed that she favors attacking in alleys near the Air Transit Station. End of report."_ The screen fades away.

"A female vampire, huh," Syaoran smirks, "They're hard to come by; this should be interesting."

"Have fun," the Commander examines the cover of _Devil May Cry_.

"Yes sir," Syaoran and I reply in unison before heading out.

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Syaoran and I equip ourselves before heading to the Control Room. There we put a warning message to civilians that a vampire is on the loose. We activate the decoy target to an alley near the Air Transit Station. The vampire is sure to pick up its scent and be lured by it. Then we make our way out of the Barastelle, using the air tunnels to be swept towards the Air Transit Station in narrow pipes. The Station is empty as we arrive onto the platform, and there is a vacant airship by the terminal. Syaoran turns on his Vampire Locator.

"This thing's going crazy," he pauses, "She's making her way towards the target pretty quick. Let's get down there."

I nod and we both jump down from the Station and run into the alleys. "Second road to the right," he says before activating his gun.

We come to a dead end.

"I better shut this thing off before it explodes with excitement… she should appear in a second," he readies his stance. I narrow my eyes and observe the walls and windows around us.

It all happens in an instant.

All I feel is a sharp, excruciating pain in my stomach, and then I'm thrown into the brick walls mercilessly. I cry out as I hit the ground, swearing as I feel blood trickling down the side of my face. I angrily wipe it off and stand up, grasping my gun tightly.

Syaoran makes no movement, using only his ears and eyes to find the vampire.

"Above you!" he yells, beginning to shoot restlessly.

I roll away from the vampire, only catching a glimpse of her blond hair as she attempts to drink the blood on my head. "She's fast," I mutter.

"You think so?" a cold voice whispers in my ear.

I feel a terrible chill throughout my entire body. The vampire licks away the blood from me before I tear myself away from her and begin to shoot. Syaoran doesn't move from where he is.

The blond vampire finally reveals herself. A strikingly beautiful, pale woman stands before us, my blood lingering on her lips. She curls them up into a smile, her eyes glittering with excitement. "I'm Stella," she says, "And you are…?" Damn it, even her voice is as alluring as her appearance.

"Syaoran Li," my partner replies first, confirming the tattoo on her arm.

"Sakura Kinomoto," I say slowly.

"Hmm, you both look delicious," she smiles charmingly, her finger resting on her lips, "It's so hard to decide between the two of you."

I instantly fire up. "Don't you dare treat us like a piece of meat, vampire!"

Syaoran smirks coolly. "Don't get so agitated, partner," he triggers the gun to full-combat mode and begins to shoot.

Stella effortlessly dodges the bullets and stares at him. "You're adorable," she smiles once more, "But a bit too cheeky for my liking."

Syaoran cracks a grin and grabs her arm, throwing her towards the ground. She breaks away from him though, and they begin a fast-paced battle.

The fact the Syaoran is much more experienced as a Hunter than me begins to sink in as I watch the two fight. Syaoran moves with accuracy and speed, calmly analyzing Stella's moves. All I can do is focus on keeping my eyes on each one of them, which proves to be a harder task than it sounds like. A horrible thought repeats in my head; what if Syaoran loses?

I grit my teeth and reach for my phone to call for backup.

"Oh no you don't!" Stella suddenly glares at me and charges at me.

I gasp out loud as I'm kicked into the wall and knocked down to the ground. Panting, I look up to meet the vampire's cold, blue eyes.

"This is the end for you, Little Miss Hunter," Stella reaches out for me but I gather my strength and roll away from her as far as possible. I begin to shoot at her, panic rising quicker than ever. "Too slow," she smirks and hits me once more. I feel blood oozing out from my back, where the bricks have dug into my skin. A terrible chill takes over my body as I watch Stella's eyes unfocus with bloodlust. There's too much blood – she's going to lose her self-control…

The vampire's coming closer… She's so fast…

Her fangs are bared… She's going to touch me…

She's going to bite me…

She's going to drink my blood…

I can't move a muscle. Numb, I helplessly shut my eyes.

That's when I hear a horrible sound - the sound of teeth ripping into the flesh.

I open my eyes in horror as Syaoran begins to yell out. I can't move. I feel a scream caught in my throat. I smell blood; I see it streaming down his body… I want to throw up… Syaoran's writhing in agony… Twitching… Screaming out… He's shielded me with his body… Stella has bitten his throat. There's blood everywhere.

Syaoran Li has been bitten by a vampire.

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**Chapter 1 – Fangs - End**

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**NOTE: This story is being edited according to the new M rating. (Aug 2008) However, the M rating is MUCH more evident in later chapters... :)**

**Please leave me a review to keep me going :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Blood

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all those lovely reviews and positive feedback :)

I'm trying to get out of my Shopaholic Sakura writing style… It's actually pretty tough, considering I worked on that series for quite a long time. So I'll gladly accept any advice on what I can do to improve this story. Oh, and many thanks to _Celestiana_ for pointing out some grammar oddities… if I may call them that… hahah… I'll try to watch out for those…

By the way, some of you guys are saying this story is similar to some manga, but I haven't been influenced by any existing works, and I haven't read any of the manga you guys mentioned… so… Yeah. :P

**Please read and review!** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

Oh, and if you could, please take a second to add the story to your alerts or faves… It would lighten up my day considerably. :)

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+**ஐ

**Chapter 2 - Blood**

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"We gain the strength of the temptation we resist."

- _Ralph Waldo Emerson_

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Fuck.

This can't be happening.

Syaoran? Bitten? How's that possible?

It's my fault. It's because I couldn't defend myself.

Syaoran's been bitten by the damn vampire.

"Syaoran!" I call out his name in a shrill voice I don't recognize.

Stella looks straight at me with her piercing eyes before tossing Syaoran's body to the side. He clutches his throat, screaming out in pain. Blood pools around him at an alarming rate, and his thrashing is becoming weaker by the second. I feel the colour draining from my face.

"I'll kill you!" I yell, glaring at the vampire and charging at her. But before I can even touch her, my legs give out and I collapse to the ground, every single wound aching terribly. I swear loudly, tears falling from my eyes. I frantically scream at my limp limbs. I'm going crazy. I've never felt so helpless. I can't move a single muscle in my body anymore. I feel extremely dizzy. I need to muster up every ounce of strength I have left to kill this vampire… I need to kill her…

Stella is about to grab me, but before she can, a distant noise stops her. She turns away and mutters something into a device I can't see. Then she smirks at Syaoran and me before disappearing from view. She's gone.

"Get back here!" I scream. I cry out and use everything I have to crawl to where Syaoran is, tears blurring my view. "Syaoran…"

He twitches, biting his lip and looking at me. "Get help," he croaks.

I'm about to do so, until I remember something.

_Rule 31 of the Vampire Hunters: Anyone bitten by a vampire will be taken into custody immediately._

No Vampire Hunter who has been bitten has returned from custody.

I sense danger in that particular rule for the first time in my life. I suddenly begin to weep, shaking my head and struggling to my knees with a cry. Syaoran breathes heavily, as if asking me what's taking me so long. I tremble before reaching into my pocket and taking out an emergency pill. It's proven to be lethal if used too often, but I can care less at the moment. I swallow it and feel temporary strength run in me. I hastily grab Syaoran and begin to run.

I won't let him be taken away like this.

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One hour.

Two hours.

Five hours.

Ten hours.

Syaoran doesn't wake up.

I've brought him to my house, where I've tended to all of our wounds and reported to the Commander that the vampire escaped. I don't tell him about Syaoran's encounter with her; instead I tell him that we're resting up at my place. He tells us to take it easy and report back tomorrow to the Barastelle.

The emergency pill made me throw up for the past few hours, and I can't help but wonder.

What's going to happen to him? He can't turn into one of them, can he?

I mean… It's Syaoran Li – he can't…

I look at him, anxiety gripping my tense mind and body. I've never been so scared in my entire life. He was the one who taught me everything, showed me everything, helped me through everything… I won't forgive him if he loses to this kind of nonsense. I won't forgive myself if anything goes wrong with him.

_Why am I so weak? _

I flinch when I feel Syaoran's hand entwine around mine.

"Syaoran!"

He opens his eyes, wincing as he turns around to look at me. "You alright?"

"Idiot," I blink furiously, "That's my line."

He cracks a weak grin. "You didn't take a pill, did you?"

"What choice did I have?" I yell, covering my face, "I wasn't going to have you taken away!"

He goes silent. His fingers gingerly touch his bandaged throat. "You should have told them; what if I'm contaminated?"

"I don't give a damn as long as you're alive," I snap.

He chuckles weakly, slowly sitting up.

I hug him tightly, muttering insults into his shirt. He just pats my back.

There's silence except for the sound of water running in the bathtub to soak our bloody clothes. Dread begins to run through me. What if someone finds out? What if…

I suddenly feel Syaoran's lips brush against my bare neck. I freeze, shivers running down my body. "Syaoran?" I call out tentatively, feeling strangely breathless. His hands move up my arm, and I feel his tongue slowly trace against my neck. I gasp out as I feel myself clutching him for support. For some reason, I feel a rush of horror and ecstasy at the same time. My heart begins to beat real fast, blood pounding everywhere.

His arms wrap around me, and I close my eyes, exhaling sharply as my entire body begins to tense. Nothing else seems to matter anymore than the fact that he is touching me. I want him to touch me, yet I don't. I feel like I'm suffocating, yet I'm immensely enjoying the sensation. I've never felt this kind of feeling before.

_I want him to bite me…_

That's when I feel an excruciating pain spread out my entire body. My eyes open abruptly. At first I'm unable to even move; I'm too shocked at what I'm seeing.

Syaoran's biting my throat, just like a vampire.

Syaoran's drinking my blood, just like a vampire.

That's when I begin to scream, crying out his name and trying to concentrate on breaking away from him before I pass out. However, before I can do anything, I'm thrown to the floor roughly. I look up, panting, to meet Syaoran's wide eyes.

"Sakura, I-" he breathes heavily, fear and disgust evident on his face. My blood is trickling down from his lips… Oh my God. He's beautiful. No, what am I thinking? What's the matter with me? Thinking like that at a time like this… He goes very pale, and dashes to the washroom. I hear him throwing up. Tears stream down my face in realization.

He's been contaminated.

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Syaoran refuses to see me until I knock down my bathroom door in frustration. When I do, I scream. He's sitting against the wall with his gun activated and pointed at his heart. I kick his hand and throw away the gun, panting heavily with shock. I feel his eyes lingering on the bloody bite mark on my throat.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I finally find my voice and shout at him.

"Kill me now," he whispers, "before I do anything else."

"That was one mistake," I rub my pale face, "I'm fine."

He looks at me with such remorse that I can't trust myself to speak. I've always looked up to him as a mentor and a more mature friend, yet now he's so vulnerable. I want to protect him. It's my fault that he got hurt. I know that Syaoran needs me more than ever, and that he is still the same person, even if he has been bitten. I reach out and hold his hand away from his face.

"I won't forgive you if you do anything stupid," I mutter, glaring into his eyes and fighting back my tears.

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" his grip on my hand tightens, "We've both watched countless vampires go crazy and murder hundreds of people for no reason!" his voice rises, "Do you think I want to become like that?"

I bite my lip and look straight into his eyes. "Drink my blood."

He stares at me. "You hit your head pretty hard, didn't you?"

"We learned that the vampires who go berserk are the ones who have no will to live, resulting in deprivation of blood," I blink furiously, reciting the passage we read at the Barastelle Academy. "If you drink from me as a constant source, you'll be able to go back to the Barastelle and-"

"Do you honestly think that I want to do that to you?" he suddenly yells, bolting up. "Do you think that I want to bite into you each day, losing myself and risking your life?" He buries his face in his hands. "Didn't you _see_ me? I became a monster… I…"

"But it's my fault," I begin to sob, punching him weakly, "It's my fault you got bitten in the first place!" Syaoran takes a deep breath and wipes my tears away. "Please, Syaoran," I whisper, "Come back to the Barastelle with me; what am I supposed to tell them? That I'll catch you with my own hands and hand you over to the Agents?"

He falls to his knees before me, trembling and gazing at me with shame and struggle. "Sakura…"

I force every dreadful thought in my mind to disappear as I pull him towards me. I don't need to be scared. It's only Syaoran. He needs me now more than ever. "I won't let you be damned like the rest of them."

Syaoran taught me to live. Now it's my turn.

Willingly giving your blood to a vampire is considered treachery against humankind, but I'm not helping a vampire – I'm helping Syaoran.

"It's alright… Don't hold yourself back..." I whisper into his ear.

His hands tighten on my arms as he closes his eyes with a shudder. We both know that he can't suppress his thirst any longer. He holds me close, and I clear my mind. With that his sharp teeth plunge into my skin once more, filling the air with the scent of blood… The same rush of ecstasy and pain hits me again as I feel the blood being drained from my body. I gasp out, my body curving in towards him automatically.

To be bitten by a vampire…

It's an amazing experience… the pain is beyond words, yet at the same time it still makes me feel so excited. I sink deeper into his embrace, feeling his teeth dig deeper into me.

The last thing I see is a teardrop fall from Syaoran's closed eyes, before I drift off into the darkness.

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"Sakura Kinomoto and Syaoran Li reporting," I bow to Commander Montague.

Syaoran also bows, his face still unnaturally pale with worry and shame. The Commander seems to take note of this. He raises his eyebrows. "You two didn't go off to have sex, did you?" he asks.

I grit my teeth, resisting the urge to kick him. "Please be serious, Commander, we're both tired from the combat."

"The vampire escaped and you two, the best Vampire Hunters in the Barastelle, were defeated; what more is there to add?" he inquires.

I bite my lip, knowing that Syaoran isn't in the right state of mind to be answering questions. "I'd like to request that Syaoran and I be assigned to training the new Hunters until we fully recover from our injuries," I pause, "She was a particularly strong vampire, and our medicines seem to work slowly against her venom."

"Very well," the Commander rubs his face, "I'll notify Officer Akizuki and Lieutenant Lee."

-

-

"How are you feeling, Syaoran?" Meilin rubs Syaoran's shoulders, craning in towards him. I roll my eyes.

"Just a bit tired," he answers, not looking up at her. That's an understatement. He didn't sleep at all.

Tomoyo and Eriol exchange looks. "Come on; one runaway vampire on your records isn't going to change much!" Eriol says, clapping his back.

Syaoran shrugs, "I don't really want to think about anything right now."

Eriol frowns before grinning. "How about we all go for a drink tonight? Just like old times, when we were all in the Academy together?"

"Good idea!" Meilin chimes in, "We should take a break from all this madness. Right, Syaoran?" She wraps her arms around him shoulders.

Syaoran cracks a smile at Meilin and nods, leaning against her. He manages to be a playboy, even at a time like this. What a loser. But then again, I'm sort of relieved that one part of his usual self is still evident.

I bite my lip and casually scratch my bandaged throat, recalling the sleepless night we both had. I went through many books and files to confirm that only a "true" vampire can contaminate others to become a vampire. I was relieved that I would not turn into a vampire, yet I was struggling to not think about Syaoran being a vampire. Not only that, Syaoran tried to kill himself countless times throughout the night, and I was too scared to find him dead in the morning, so I stayed awake all night watching over him. I give him my blood so he can live, and all he wants to do is commit suicide. I want to kill Stella for doing this to him.

"Except," Syaoran sighs, "I may be the source of all the madness going on."

Everyone turns to look at him.

"Come on, Syaoran; the rookies are filing into the training area," I force a smile on my face and drag him away from Meilin, who eyes us with a frown.

"Will you snap out of it and at least _try_ to act normal?" I hiss as we walk away from them.

Syaoran merely snorts.

I smack his head hard before opening the doors to the training room. Before he can retaliate by swearing or hitting me back, a large group of young people greet us with a bow.

"Good morning, Mr. Li, Ms. Kinomoto!"

We both nod and bow to Lieutenant Eunbi Lee, a beautiful woman with black hair and piercing brown eyes. "I leave them in your care," she says curtly before leaving.

"Alright," I say, glancing at Syaoran, "Let's get started, then. Activate Simulation C-23."

The entire arena begins to glow as the simulation data loads. Soon we are all surrounded by tall buildings and shadows. Few of the students scream. Vampires begin to attack them. Syaoran shudders and covers his face in his hands, slumping down. I reluctantly leave him to coach the students myself.

"You're dead, dead, dead," I point at the students who have been in contact with the illusionary vampires. "If you can't activate your gun in time, use your dagger – sometimes they can be more effective," I pierce a vampire with my dagger before it can reach me, and it vanishes into thin air. The students begin to fight, and I return to Syaoran, peering into his pale face.

"Hang in there; the session will be terminated soon enough," I whisper.

A sudden yelp draws my attention. I turn back, only to see a student clutching her hand, blood dripping down from it… She's cut herself with her dagger.

Shit.

"No!" I scream.

I manage to grab Syaoran before he lunges himself at the girl, struggling to not lose my grip on him. Syaoran suddenly seems vicious, lost in the unexpected scent of blood; his new fangs are bared and his eyes are unfocused. Goddammit, he's strong. He's wildly trying to break free from me, and I have to throw myself onto him to keep my grip. The students all back away in terror, and to my horror, I see a few of them aiming their guns at him.

"Don't move a muscle," I snap at them, tripping Syaoran and pinning him down with my entire body. He thrashes violently as I take my dagger and slit open my wrist. I breathe heavily in relief as Syaoran takes my arm and licks the blood away, eventually sucking at the wound.

"What's going on?" a student yells out, clearly frightened.

"How is a Vampire Hunter a vampire?"

"Why is that_ thing_ here with us?"

I struggle to keep my balance as I stand up, Syaoran regaining his consciousness. He keeps his eyes on the ground, clearing wanting nothing more than to shoot himself. He wipes the blood away from his lips, trembling uncontrollably and breathing heavily. I squeeze my numb arm and say, "Terminate Simulation C-23, activate Simulation A-1."

The most difficult and frightening session begins to launch, and I grab Syaoran and run out of the arena before anything else happens. We continue to run towards the transporters, when the alarms begin to sound.

"Alert, alert, Code Red, I repeat, Code Red; all Hunters are to prepare for combat. Lockdown in progress."

"Shit," I hiss as we jump onto the transporter. Thank God for these inventions. We get off the platform and make a run for the front doors when my brother stops us. Great, just what we needed.

"Syaoran Li, you know the procedure. Step away from her, now," he glares at Syaoran, "And Sakura, get your ass here right now, or you'll be sorry."

"Touya," I plead, "Let us go, please."

He has an expressionless face as he activates his gun. "That's Commander Kinomoto to you."

Syaoran twitches, glancing at me with worry. I give my numb arm a squeeze and activate my own gun. "Stupid brother," I glare at him, "Don't be such an asshole!"

"Shut the hell up!" he shouts at me, "Have you forgotten the reason you entered the Barastelle?"

I bite my lip as Syaoran lowers his head, knowing the reason as well as I do. I glance nervously at the alarms, glowing red and activating the lockdown. The gates are beginning to close, and the electric fences are preparing to surround the Barastelle. I don't want Syaoran to be taken away from me. This is wrong. I can't let that happen.

I reach into my pocket. "You know damn well I didn't," I reply. And with that I toss a smoke bomb not far from my brother, enough to take him off guard for a few seconds. I grab Syaoran and sprint to the main gates. We narrowly avoid being electrocuted and run across the bridge and towards the platforms holding the air vehicles. We jump in and Syaoran hesitantly hacks the system and begins to drive it.

We leave the Barastelle, the place we used to call home, and our friends behind.

There's no turning back anymore.

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**Chapter 2 – Blood – End –**

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How was that? Booyah. Some action going on this chapter… :P Plus some bite scenes... mwhahaha.

I hope you guys liked the bite scenes... because I was squirming while imagining it and putting it to words... :D

I think I'm going to stick with one-word chapter titles for this story… it seems appropriate, and I don't want to give much away. Anyways, brief overcap: Sakura has decided to give Syaoran her blood regularly to prevent him from going berserk, and now the Barastelle knows that Syaoran's a vampire and that Sakura is helping him. Uh-oh. XD

Oh yeah, I don't think I've mentioned how I came up with the name for the "Barastelle." I was toying with some words in different languages, and I came across "BARA," which means rose in Japanese, and "STELLA," which means star in Italian. I think it's Italian. Anyways, I know that it means star. And I combined them together, but "Barastella" sounded awkward, so I just made it to "Barastelle." It just rolled off my tongue, so I was like, YESSSS. :)

Anyways, please stop comparing this fanfic to any anime or manga, because that sort of bothers me. I haven't been influenced by any existing works to create this story, or I would have mentioned it in the disclaimer section.

Alright, that's it for me today. **Please review!**

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	3. Chapter 3: Runaway

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Wow wow! Thanks for all those reviews:D I'm glad you guys like this new story of mine… I'll try to update as often as possible within the summer vacation… since I will be busy once school starts. I realized I've kept a steady pace of updating every four days… that's pretty good :)

**Please read and review** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

And faves/alerts… lighten up my day :)

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+**ஐ

**Chapter 3 - Runaway**

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"A wound, a red badge of courage."

- _Stephen Crane_

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Chicago.

The Forsaken City.

It used to be known as the "Second City," because of its rebirth after the Great Fire (which was _ages_ ago). But ever since the economy collapsed a few years back, it hasn't been able to rise back up. Over eighty-percent of the population have fled from the city. Most buildings are in ruins, and the city overall looks like it's just been through a third World War. It doesn't help that Chicago is a city built with technology from the twentieth century. In this ever-changing world, it's hard for things from the past to survive.

Most of the city is deserted and infested with rats and spiders. I nearly passed out when I was attacked by those disgusting rodents, even screaming when Syaoran began to throw rocks at them. He's never going to stop making fun of me for that.

The reason Syaoran and I decided to come here is _because_ it is so empty. There's hardly anyone here. The only ones left now are the older generation dedicated to keeping their properties and stores. Not only that, we don't have to worry about eye scanners or ID-identifying cameras. Until we can find some way to deceive those, we can't go into the modern cities... Whatever the method is, it's going to be illegal. We also need to find a decent method of transportation. We ditched the aircraft we took from the Barastelle outside of Illinois and traveled by subway all the way to Chicago. The _subway_. Such ancient technology, not to mention slow and uncomfortable.

I take a swig from the glass of martini and sigh. Syaoran just quietly smokes a cigarette, glancing at the bartender from time to time, as if he's afraid he'll pull out a gun and start shooting at us. Oblivious to Syaoran's fears, the old bartender just smiles kindly and asks us where we're from.

"We live in Oklahoma," I lie without hesitation, "We just decided to stop by here to rest on the way to Ohio." Ohio better not be right beside Oklahoma…

He nods, sighing. "How old are you, miss?"

I blink. "I'm nineteen," I reply cautiously.

"Nineteen," he echoes, "I have a granddaughter who's exactly your age now. I haven't heard from her for five years, ever since she followed her mother out of the city…" He looks out the window, as if recalling the image of his then-fifteen year old granddaughter. I resist the urge to tell the man to leave this place and go find her.

"I'm sure she'll come visit soon," I assure him before paying for our drinks. "Have a good day."

-

-

"Five years ago, huh," Syaoran exhales his smoke. "The Crimson Night…"

I shrug tiredly. "We have other things to worry about than other people's family problems." I take the cigarette from his hand and bring it to my lips, much to Syaoran's amusement. I haven't smoked since I was a teenager. I inhale and exhale once before giving it back to him.

The Crimson Night… I don't even want to think about that incident. It's too painful to recall.

"Have you ever wondered why all those half-humans were created?" he asks, his expression blank as he inhales his smoke again, "Or how they even managed to escape from those cells?"

"That information was never disclosed, so I wouldn't know," I frown, "Though I am sort of curious." I open the door to our worn out hotel room and sit on the couch. I remember examining the broken cells while I was still a student at the Academy. It didn't look as if any of them had broken out – nothing was out of order.

It didn't make sense – only a scientist could have de-activated the cells, but no scientist had entered the cell area around the time of the break out. And all the cameras and records were useless, since they had all been formatted and destroyed. Oh God, this is giving me a headache. Better not think about it for now – I'll get back to it when I'm sober.

I pick up the updated San Francisco newspaper from the coffee table. Thank God I paid for a year's worth of monthly updates, or we would have been tracked down from the billing. I examine the cover and give a short laugh. "Look," I muse, "We made the front page."

Syaoran smirks bitterly and begins to read, ""The Barastelle's top Vampire Hunter pair has fled from the city of San Francisco. It has been revealed that Syaoran Li, 21, has been contaminated by a vampire, and that Sakura Kinomoto, his 19-year old partner, is protecting him." Wow, I sound like some pathetic, helpless idiot," he rolls his eyes, ""General Churchill has issued a million-dollar reward for the capture of these two convicts."" He whistles. "Do you think he'll give us that much if we turn ourselves in?"

I ignore him and angrily scrunch up the paper. "Shit," I wince as my finger starts to bleed. I glance at Syaoran, who tenses as I raise it towards him. "Merry Christmas."

"Fuck you," he scowls before bringing the bleeding finger to his lips. I shudder as he licks it delicately before sucking on the wound. I feel that rush of danger and adrenaline again, and I have an urge to just rip my heart open for him to drink. But I have to control it; this is how every vampire manages to feed off of humans – by mesmerizing them. At the same time, I have to stop comparing Syaoran to other vampires. To me, he's the same old Syaoran, just with a peculiar taste for blood.

I'm glad that he's acting normal towards me now… even if that means that he's going to treat me like his younger brother. He never hesitates to smack my head, swear harshly at me or make fun of me. Although he never, _never_ acts like that towards other girls, which pisses me off a bit. He's such a playboy that sometimes, I just want to grab him by the hair and throw him off a balcony. Once, he was going so overboard with his flirting that I smacked him in the head. When the girl was gone, he hit me back twice as hard.

By the time he finishes, I'm left breathless and he has a disgusted look on his face. "At least you're not suicidal anymore," I raise my eyebrows.

"Very funny," he grimaces and scrunches up his nose. "I can still smell the blood in the air. Open the window, will you?"

"Yes sir," I mutter before getting up.

At that moment, the door is knocked open. We both wheel around in alarm.

It's a girl.

I tense a bit as the she enters the room, looking around frantically. "Are you looking for something?" I ask, taking a step back. Syaoran eyes her with a frown, slowly reaching into his pocket.

"Grandpa?" she calls out desperately.

"Grandpa?" I echo, confused. Then I remember. "Wait, are you the granddaughter of that bartender?"

"Where are you, grandpa?" she starts to scream. She stops abruptly. I flinch. When she looks up at me, her eyes are unfocused. I see her staring at my finger, where there's still some blood.

Syaoran pauses then grimaces. "Oh, hell no."

We both realize that she's been contaminated by a vampire, and therefore left with the craving for blood. She's probably on the verge of going insane, too. This isn't good.

I hastily activate my gun and Syaoran does the same. "There's no more left for you," I say, aiming at her heart. "Syaoran, hold your breath," I say before squeezing on my papercut. He scowls and does so, averting his eyes to the girl, who charges towards me as the blood drips from my finger. I quickly open and jump out the window and start to run. I really shouldn't have drank that martini… I curse myself as I sway a little on my run. I lead the girl towards the area with lots of collapsed buildings and holes in the ground, and glance backwards.

I see Syaoran running not far from me, and I turn around and start to shoot at the vampire. Then I realize that she used to be an important person to that old bartender. Although she's not human anymore, her existence is still treasured by someone. Do I have the right to slay her?

I angrily shake my head. She's going berserk – she's going to become a bloodsucking monster. She's not human anymore. She can't be saved anymore.

I can't save her like I saved Syaoran.

From the corner of my eyes, I see Syaoran running very fast towards me. He's even faster than he was before. Is it a vampire thing? That's when my foot slips into a hole on the ground. I let out a yell as I fall into it, crashing down into the dirt. I hear Syaoran shout my name loudly, and the girl jumps into the air, ready to jump and consume on me…

There's a loud gunshot, and the sound of a body hitting the ground.

Syaoran's standing in front of me, fear and horror flashing in his amber eyes. He looks stunned at the sight of a vampire being killed, something he never even cared much about before. I remember how he used to have an almost cocky look after a hunt. Now there's not a single trace of that on his face. He shakily deactivates his gun and comes to me. "You alright?"

"Yeah," I take his hand and pull myself up. My eyes linger on the corpse in front of us. "The bartender won't have his reunion anymore."

He nods, exhaling sharply. There's a pause. "If I ever go permanently insane like she did, will you pull the trigger on me?"

I freeze.

"If I attack you, will you kill me?"

"You won't attack me," I force a smile.

"But if I do," his eyes gaze straight into mine, "I want you to kill me."

To my surprise, I manage to laugh. "That's _if_ you ever attack me."

He waits for my reply.

I take a deep breath. "Only if there's absolutely no hope…" I can't bring myself to say the word "kill." I try to remain calm. "You better not count on it, since I'm giving you my blood and all. Be a little more grateful towards me, will you?" I fail to smile.

Syaoran sighs. "I am grateful, Sakura." He takes my hand and cleans my bleeding finger with his lips. His words sink into me as I close my eyes at his touch. I fight back a fit of shudders waiting to overtake my body, trying not to imagine myself standing before Syaoran's dead body. Honestly though, why did they make vampires so unnecessarily seductive? Oh God, I did not just think that. He's not a vampire… and he already was a playboy to start with. But I have to admit; him drinking my blood has become a daily routine for me, and I actually kind of enjoy it... Dammit.

Syaoran suddenly looks up, dropping my hand. "Do you hear that?"

I frown. There's a distant grumbling of engines. "Air hovers?"

"They're here; let's grab our stuff and get the hell out of this city," he starts to run very fast, and then stops. "On second thought, you wait here, and I'll be back in a minute."

I watch as he disappears quickly from view. His new agility proved to be useful on numerous occasions since we left the Barastelle… My eyes fall upon the dead vampire, and I can't help but wonder. Will there be a time when I really have to kill Syaoran to save myself?

I shake my head angrily. As long as he stuffs his damn pride and keeps drinking from me, he can't go crazy like this one. He's just very depressed and pessimistic right now. My fingers trail up my neck, tracing the bite mark hidden by my hair. Syaoran's been careful to only drink from one spot, as to not leave me with a dozen scars around my throat. This is a good sign, since it shows that he thinks while he drinks my blood.

I sigh, staring at the cut on my finger. There's a very small blood stain along the line of the cut. I slowly bring it to my lips and lick it as Syaoran would. A metallic, salty taste. Nothing I would get addicted to.

I remember when I first experienced a wound as a Hunter. I was sixteen and new to the job. I remember the nineteen-year old Syaoran scolding me, telling me that I was too weak. I remember throwing a punch at him, only to be sent to the ground with a bloody lip. Even then Syaoran didn't hesitate to hit me. But I didn't mind it. It reminded me to become stronger and become equal level with Syaoran. Maybe once I'm stronger, I'll be able to beat Syaoran up and not get hurt from it. I smile at the thought.

The engines become louder as tiny dots approach us with speed. I have no time to grow anxious, because Syaoran suddenly appears, grabbing my wrist and beginning to run. He hands me one of our bags to hold and glances behind us. "They're going to go talk to the bartender, so we need to hurry. We should take the subway to the next city and disguise ourselves."

"You're getting good at being a runaway," I comment with a grin.

He responds with his signature smirk and says nothing more.

And from there we run as fast as we can, away from our hunters.

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**Chapter 3 – Runaway – End –**

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A bit of a break from all that hard-core action, although this chapter contains some action as well. This chapter was MEANT to be sort of a bridge between two big-action chapters… but it turned out to be more action-istic than I planned. Next chapter will be written from Syaoran's point of view, as requested. This will show you guys how he's actually feeling, and not what Sakura thinks he's feeling.

Well, you've also been introduced to a bit more mystery, and they will be answered slowly in the upcoming chappies… ;) And you've also been introduced to the un-futuristic kind of city.

And **READ THIS.** Let me make Sakura and Syaoran's relationship clear… and all the things I'm going to mention have been told in the current chapters, so this isn't new.

They are very close friends, yet they still carry a mentor/student relationship. They've known each other for more than three years, and Sakura has mentioned that Syaoran "taught her to live." You'll learn more of that in the upcoming chapters. Sakura also mentioned in this chapter that Syaoran treats her like a younger brother, hitting her and swearing at her unlike he handles other women. All of this CAN be looked upon as love, but it's not. I was trying to express the special, non-romantic relationship they hold RIGHT NOW… but I think some of you took it the wrong way… :S Anyways, as of now, each of them regard each other as a special existence in their lives, because of what they've been through together and what they know about each other. Whew.

Did I make sense? I tend to go overboard when trying to express my thoughts…

Anyways, did you guys enjoy the chapter:)

**Please review!**

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	4. Chapter 4: Tainted

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** This chapter will be told from Syaoran's point of view. I guess you could consider this a "special chapter," since the rest of the story will be told from Sakura's POV… unless something comes up where I have to have Syaoran explain things... or I just suddenly want to tell the story from Syaoran's point.

And I'm sorry if I sounded irritated that people kept comparing this story to other manga, but I was pretty annoyed... I mean, I put time into developing this, and as soon as I put it up, it gets compared to already existing works… I may sound like I'm whining and being stupid, but I mean, wouldn't you be ticked off if that happened to you? It sort of throws me off and makes me want to trash this story, yet I don't because I actually like it… So please try to understand me. (sigh) I'll stop talking about this from now on, and I hope everyone else will too. Let's just enjoy this story for itself :)

Anyways. Happy reading…

**Please read and review** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

And faves/alerts lighten up my day :D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 4 - Tainted**

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"Pleasure is the bait of sin."

- _Anonymous_

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**Syaoran's POV**

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I'm pathetic.

My grip tightens on Sakura's weakening body as I sink deeper into her throat. I hate to admit it, but it's wonderful. Drinking blood may sound monstrous, but the sensation of actually consuming on someone's blood is just beyond words… It's like sex – you always want more, and it feels like it's not enough, but you do have to stop at one point or another. I feel Sakura's blood quench my thirst and I open my eyes to see her pale face.

Her eyes are half-closed, glimmering in the dim lighting. I wish I can see her true eye colour; it's hidden by the stupid brown-coloured contact lens. She's sitting up on the toilet with me kneeling on the ground between her legs and biting into her throat. My fangs are draining her blood from her… I can so easily kill her right now. That thought is damn scary as hell. I don't know how long we've been in this cramped space for.

I need to stop.

_I want more. _

I have to stop.

_It's not enough… _

My leg hits the toilet painfully, causing me to flinch. That seems to knock some sense into me, and I finally tear myself away from her, breathing heavily. Sakura inhales deeply before turning on the sink, motioning for me to wipe my mouth. I do so and stand up as she washes her bloody throat, careful not to wet her clothes.

She gets up and leans heavily on me, closing her eyes from the dizziness. Guilt instantly pours into me, but I say nothing as I support her out of the cramped bathroom and down the corridor of the train. I realize that some people are whispering to one another while eyeing us with frowns or snickers. I have an urge to roll my eyes, knowing what they're thinking about us. Sakura seems to notice this too, because she meets my eyes and purses her lips very tightly as not to burst out into laughter.

We finally get back to our seats and I hand Sakura water and chocolate for her to recover. We're on the way to New York, disguised as an inconspicuous couple. We managed to sidetrack the Agents and Hunters at the edges of Indiana, where we luckily caught a train going into the Big Apple. Sakura now has black hair and brown eyes, and I have blue eyes and blond hair. I've always wanted blond hair, but I hate how neat it is. I look much cooler with my own messy hair. It's sexy, and people know it.

I smirk to myself and glance sideways at Sakura. Watching her silently eat her chocolate throws me back into depression. I can't even kill myself because of her. I'm too scared about how she's going to turn out if I died. She's going to be screwed up, even more than she used to be. She's going to have to be on the run by herself, and that will really, really screw her up. I know this because… I just know. So, suicide is out of the option. I can't make her suffer anymore.

"How long is this fricking ride," she groans, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"I know you don't like old-fashioned transportations, but it was either this or run all the way," I smirk, "I knew we should have brought my bike along."

"That monstrous, flying thing of yours?" she scoffs, "I much prefer this to that, thanks."

I chuckle quietly and tap her head lightly, since she's still not fully recovered yet. Before long, she dozes off to sleep, resting her head against my shoulder. I carefully touch her face with my hand, noting how much weight she's lost since we left the Barastelle. We've been careful not to use money from the cards the Barastelle knows about, as to not be tracked down. As a result, we are sort of broke, since we each only have one account that they don't know about… and most of our money's in our other accounts. So, long story short, we're broke for the time being.

Money.

My family had lots of it… and I inherited every penny after the Crimson Night.

My family was rich and respected, but that had all been crushed on that night five years ago. That night was supposed to be like any other night, everyone sitting together for a quiet dinner, but instead, vampires intruded upon our home and began to kill everyone. I was sixteen. There was blood. Lots of it.

My father was the first. Then my mother. My sisters and I began to run towards the study, but by the time we got there, my older sister was the only one left by my side. It was the longest run of my life. I remember how she locked me in the hidden room beneath the floors just before the vampires found her, smiling despite her serious wounds. Now that I think about it, those wounds were probably fatal. "You have to live," she had said. You could probably imagine how I felt, being alone in the darkness and covered with my sister's blood. To top it all off, I had to sit and listen as the last of my family was brutally murdered.

It's a wonder I didn't go crazy that night. I felt so empty, so lost. I had lost my entire family in one day. Perhaps it was the eagerness to have revenge upon the murderers of my family, or maybe it was because I didn't know where else I could vent my anger on. I'm glad I didn't lose myself that night. The following day, after burying my parents and sisters, I headed off to the Barastelle, passed the tests and became a Vampire Hunter.

Now, after all these years, recalling this incident just comes with a dull pain that I've grown used to. I've overcome it. I know it's no use dwelling on the past, and if my father was here, he wouldn't have forgiven me if I was still sulking. Maybe it's just because everyone's deaths were just an unbelievable blur for me that I was able to overcome it so easily. Or maybe it's because I know that my family's sacrifice would have been in vain if I didn't live properly…

I try to imagine the looks on my parents' faces if they knew that I became a vampire. Would they just be satisfied to see me alive? Or would they grieve on what I've become? …Well, they're not here now, and Sakura's here to keep me alive, so I've got to stop thinking about my family. What's gone is gone, and I have more to worry about what's to come.

Maybe a time when I can stop hating myself for becoming a vampire will come. However, I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to forgive myself for biting into Sakura so often. I feel like I've sunk so low…

My hand lingers around Sakura's throat, examining the scar I inflicted on her. I smirk bitterly. I entered the Barastelle as a prodigy Hunter at the age of sixteen, and now, at twenty-one, I've left it as a vampire. She'll probably carry this for the rest of her life and people will talk shit about her for it. They probably are calling her all sorts of things for helping me. But then again, people have called her hurtful things before too. I lean my head against hers, sighing as I recall the time when I first met her…

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**Three years ago…**

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_Bang._

_Bang._

_Bang._

I exhale deeply, deactivating my gun and glancing over to check that I've cleared every single target.

"Simulation A-3 cleared," the system calls out. I smirk. I'm probably the youngest ever to even attempt this difficult training simulation… After all, I _am_ the prodigy Vampire Hunter, Syaoran Li… Being accepted at the age of sixteen, I'm the youngest to ever become a Hunter. Normally, kids my age would have been required to attend the Academy for a couple years before becoming a full-fledged Hunter. I'm just too talented. I've been a Vampire Hunter for two years… And two years ago was also when I lost my family to vampires on the Crimson Night.

I sigh and exit the training room, walking towards the transporter. I try to remember what I have to do today. Oh yeah, I have to break up with that girl before she comes telling me that she's pregnant or something. Honestly, she's such a hassle…

"Yo, Syaoran!" I hear Eriol call out, and I turn around to face him. "Class is starting soon. Let's go before we're late again."

"I can't believe they're making me attend the Academy when I'm a full-fledged Hunter," I grit my teeth, taking the water bottle from his hand.

"You arrogant bastard," Eriol grins, "You may be talented, but you're still only eighteen."

"One more year of this," I groan, "And no more dull classes."

We both step into the transporter and he calls out, "Barastelle Academy, room C312."

Eriol's the only real friend I've made since I entered the Barastelle. He came to become a Werewolf Hunter two years ago, and we met just after I became a Hunter. He didn't seem as impressed as other people were at my reputation, but maybe that was just because he's an airheaded freak. But then again, he's my friend _because _he doesn't act like I'm a god or something. He may be a freak, but he's one good friend.

As we head towards the doors someone bumps into me, and I instinctively grab the person's arm to prevent them from falling. As I meet the person's eyes, I'm a bit taken a back.

A pair of brilliant emerald eyes… glaring at me.

That can't be right.

I blink and look again. Yep. Definitely glaring. Why? I'm not touching her weirdly or anything… I take a second to examine the person before me.

A girl shorter than me by about a head… she looks like she's younger than me. Auburn hair… plain figure…

Oh well. I give her a charming smile. "Are you hurt?"

She releases herself from me without losing that coldness in her eyes. "No."

"I'm Syaoran, and you are…" I trail off, and to my greatest confusion, she turns around and heads into the room. I give an incredulous look at Eriol, who looks just as taken aback as I am. "I don't have anything on my face, do I?"

He shakes his head, then begins to laugh hysterically. "Syaoran Li, turned down! Oh my God, this is the best day of my life."

"Shut up," I smack his head, and he retaliates by kicking my leg.

We both laugh before entering the classroom.

"Syaoran! Come sit beside me!" I hear Meilin call out. Other girls seem to be giving me hopeful looks, as well. I smirk to myself. See? Every lady wants to be with me… That is, every _normal _lady. That green-eyed brat was not normal. Eriol and I take a seat next to each other near Tomoyo, who gives us a light wave before returning to a conversation with her neighbor, Ewan Townsend. Eriol crosses his arms, and I snicker, knowing that he's had the hots for her since he met her.

Our teacher enters the classroom and glances at the auburn-haired girl, who's standing against the wall with an expressionless face. "You must be the new student," he says before clearing his throat, "Alright, as you can see, we have a newbie in our class." Eriol gives me a smirk, and I nearly knock his glasses off. "Sakura Kinomoto, sixteen – she's Commander Kinomoto's sister," the teacher continues, "Feel free to sit wherever you wish."

Sakura, huh. Nice name. I turn on the computer and accessmy account, watching her take a seat by the windows. I ponder while waiting for my files to load. Commander Kinomoto's sister… I wonder how good she is. I smirk. Not as good as me, that's for sure.

The class passes by fairly quickly, and Sakura exits as soon as the bell rings. Eriol glances at me, "I assume you're going to chase after her?"

"You know me too well," I grin, "I'll meet you at the cafeteria later."

Imagine my surprise when I finally find Sakura in the courtyard… only to catch her smoking.

Holy shit.

I clear my throat before approaching her. "Does your brother know about this?"

She gives me a dirty look that reads, "If you tell him I'll kill you."

"I'll take that as a no," I sigh before taking the cigarette from her lip and bringing it to my own. She stares at me as if I've just flashed her. "Why do you act as if you hate me?"

Sakura breaks away from my eyes and mutters, "I don't even know you. How can I hate you?"

I give her a small smirk. I knew she couldn't hate me. "I'm Syaoran Li," I hand back her smoke.

Her eyebrows arch up. "Oh, I've heard about you," she says before taking a drag.

That's it? That's a disappointing reaction… Yet somehow, I expected it. I casually put an arm around her, and she doesn't seem to mind. More like, she doesn't seem to care at all, which is just a bit unnerving. "Do you want to come for a drink with my friends and me tonight?"

She looks straight at me. "Are you hitting on me?"

"Maybe," I smirk.

A blinding pain. I double over, clutching my stomach. Did she just…

"Did you just punch me?" I ask incredulously.

"Maybe," she returns the smirk.

I watch with an open mouth as she throws out her cigarette. Then I begin to laugh. She turns to look at me, cocking her head to the side in confusion. "Sorry," I cough, grinning, "So, tonight at eight, in front of the main gates?"

"Fine, fine," she says before making her way towards the cafeteria.

"Do you want me to show you around?" I call before her.

"You're pushing your luck," she gives a careful smile.

I go after her and smack her in the back of the head.

"What was that for?" she covers her head, looking at me in alarm.

"Eye for eye, tooth for tooth," I wink and run, before she can beat me to death. She looks like she's capable of it. And then I begin to laugh.

She's definitely different… and interesting.

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**End of flashback**

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That was my first encounter with Sakura. I smile upon recalling it. That night, she surprisingly agreed to ride on the back of my infamous motorcycle, although she complained immensely afterwards and slapped me across the forehead. She was a damn good drinker… she sparked her unspoken rivalry with Meilin that night, became acquainted with Eriol and shockingly became friends with Tomoyo. It was unexpected, but Tomoyo had always had really good people skills. I'm guessing that night was the first time Sakura spent time with people after she lost her parents.

Our days together at the Academy were enjoyable… and we were constantly hitting each other and talking as if we were brothers. It was weird but natural; we just comfortably acted that way towards each other. We still do, if you haven't noticed. It didn't take long for me to question her about her smoking and drinking, and I remember she broke down, spilling out everything about herself. She had been at her limit for quite some time. She cried about her insecurities, not being able to trust anyone after her parents went missing on the Crimson Night, not being able to rely on her brother, everything. And I realized that she had every reason to be cold and bitter towards everything. She was only fourteen when she lost everything, younger than me.

We had a long talk after that. I perfectly understood her pain and her feelings, and I wanted her to be free of it. She also sort of made me grow up a bit as I confided in her. Her eyes were wide and vulnerable as I told her about my own past, telling her how I overcame it and such. I told her that her Sweet Sixteen only came once, and she should be enjoying it instead of being resentful, or it would be an insult to her parents' memories. She seemed to realize that it was no good to sulk for something that had already come and gone. To dwell on the past meant to not be able to move on, and she didn't want that. Slowly, Sakura began to break out of her shell. She stopped smoking and drinking. Anyhow, she recovered to how she is now, and we developed a strong relationship over the years. I trained her ruthlessly and chose her to be my partner when we graduated, and we instantly became the most celebrated Vampire Hunter pair in the Barastelle. We've been through a lot together.

Our relationship is complex – we've both had quite an impact on each other's lives, and we're quite comfortable with one another… We basically know everything about each other, and it's almost as if we're brother and sister… or rather, just brothers, since Sakura is not really a typical sister… I'm quite happy with how we are now. It's special because I'll probably never meet another person like her, and I can't think about not having her in my life. It's also quite weird, because if we married or something, I'm sure we could be the best couple ever.

I grin silently, trying to picture Sakura as my wife. What a sight that will be. I glance at her, touching her face. But it won't be that bad. In fact, it won't be bad at all. Although I'm pretty sure that if I even _tried _flirting with her, I'd end up being hospitalized or something. Still, I actually can't stand the thought of Sakura being with another guy, since I know that no one will know her or care for her as I do. And whenever I come across a guy trying to hit on Sakura, I come very close to beating the shit out of them. She also hates it when I flirt with girls. Maybe it's like we both have a brother/sister complex in a way... or maybe just sheer jealousy. It's unexplainable, yet it makes total sense to me.

My eyes fall upon her throat, and I feel a thumping inside my chest as I subconsciously approach it. My lips brush against her neck, and my mouth opens to consume on her once more…

Fuck. I nearly lost it again.

I can't do this to her when she's sleeping. That's just degrading. I brush her hair away from her face before sinking deeply into my seat, observing her as she sleeps soundly. Sighing, I carefully place her in a more comfortable position, resting her head on my lap.

I don't deserve to even think about having her as mine. She deserves better. She deserves to be with a normal human. I smirk bitterly as I realize that I'm not entirely human anymore. I'm a half-human. The same kind that killed my family, Sakura's parents, and bit me and damned me into this. I shake these dreadful thoughts away from my mind, focusing on Sakura's carefree face.

A smile creeps onto my face in spite of myself. I need to protect her. She's sacrificed everything in order to save my life and maintain it. She may argue that I've also saved her from becoming a depressed, angry druggie, but I need to protect her from everything… including myself.

I'm only staying alive for her sake, anyways.

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**Chapter 4 – Tainted– End –**

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Ahh… so you got a taste of Syaoran's past and Sakura's rebellious stage... and how Syaoran feels about everything.

And I realized I made a math mistake... I said that Sakura and Syaoran knew each other for about three years... but that sounded weird, and I actually spent about ten minutes trying to figure out why... and then I realized that I made the Crimson Night happen FIVE years ago, and I sort of screwed up Sakura and Syaoran's age difference in the flashback, so I had to go back and change them... Well, in the end it still turned out that Sakura and Syaoran knew each other for three years. So I nearly made a bad calculations mistake in this chapter... sorry... Although I don't think it's that big of a deal, since I fixed it... Math is not my strongest subject. Anyways... I'm glad I sorted that out, because I knew something was wrong. (phew)

Did you guys enjoy the chapter:)

**Please review!**

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	5. Chapter 5: Shot

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Blah. I am so out of it these days… Ooh. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is coming out soon…. SOON. OMFG. I am so excited. I pre-ordered, too. XD Can't wait… Ahem. Anyways. Here's the fifth chapter :) Oh, and remember it's back to **SAKURA's POV **again!

**Please read and review!** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

Faves/alerts lighten up my day :D

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ஐ**+ Vampire Hunter +**ஐ

**Chapter 5 - Shot**

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"To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted by no difficulty;

to keep heart when all have lost it - who can say this is not greatness?"

- _William Makepeace Thackeray_

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New York City.

I stare out the window of the pub, taking in the high buildings, the screens with ads and commercials, people travelling through air pipes so fast that they're a blur to my eyes… We're finally back in a modern-day city. The air traffic's as bad as it always is; the cars are hovering in mid-air, honking at one another… Especially the yellow cabs. They're bullies. They've _always _been bullies. They're flying dangerously close to the cars next to them, swearing at each other and honking madly.

I glance back at Syaoran, who's surrounded by a group of woman. I can't help but notice that most of the women are dressed very suggestively. He's talking to them in hushed voices, but I'm close enough to hear. Blond hair actually suits him, I muse as I watch him. The women laugh at a joke he's made, and I force myself to not roll my eyes. It's all for business, don't lose your temper…

We've kept the same disguise from the train. So right now, Syaoran has blond hair and blue eyes, and I have brown eyes and black hair. We're both dressed inconspicuously; he has black pants and a white dress shirt, and I'm wearing jeans and layered shirts.

"So, any of you ladies willing to help me out?" Syaoran raises his eyebrows, winking at the black-haired girl beside him. She giggles and touches his hand.

"I do have some spares," she whispers in his ears, kissing his cheek. My goodness. In broad daylight, too.

Syaoran catches my eye and smirks before putting an arm around the girl. "It would mean a lot to me."

Honestly, he knows how to manipulate women. Soon he pockets a bunch of cards and kisses each of the women on the cheek, causing each one of them to giggle helplessly. I patiently wait by the door. When he finally comes out, he begins to laugh and wipe away the lipstick marks on his face. "That went amazingly well."

I take one of the cards from his pocket and look at it. It's a blank ID card. Most of New York (and most of the modern-technology cities) is accessible only with these cards, and for obvious reasons, we can't use our own. Normally ID cards are issued to each person when they're born, with the information already typed out. Meanwhile, these cards are blank, and we input our pictures and data by ourselves. Of course these blank ID cards were obtained illegally by those women, and unfairly taken by us, but this is the only way to get past all the security.

We head into the washroom and lock the door, making sure that no one is around. Syaoran sits on the toilet and I sit on his lap, and we begin to enter the data into our new cards. "Let's see, I'll name myself… What should I name myself?" he asks, peering over at me in the mirror.

I think about it for a moment. "You could be a Daniel… or a Brendon."

"Brendon," he frowns, "I don't know why, but I really don't like that name… How about Ryan? I think I could look like a Ryan with this hair."

"Ryan… Johnson," I finish with a grin.

"Ryan Johnson, 24, blood type AB," he begins to punch into the card. "How about making you an Emily?"

"Emily?" I recoil, "That name gives me the chills. I'll be a Stephanie Park. Steph for short… and I think I'll be twenty-two."

"Twenty-two?" he snorts, "No one will believe you're overage."

"Shut up," I scowl, "That's only you."

We spend the next thirty minutes in this manner, and we finally finish the cards with our pictures. "We've got about ten more of these, so I won't have to seduce any ladies for a while," he smirks. I smack him in the head and walk towards the bridge, before he can hit me back.

Well, it technically isn't a bridge because it's more like an elevator leading to the passenger's desired destination. It's faster than walking, but not as fast or as crowded as the air pipes. Syaoran and I set our feet on the platform and type in, "Fifth Avenue." The "bridge" begins to move, leading us towards the heart of the city. The monitor beside us displays things like, "Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street – The New York Public Library, where you can find out about anything you want to," and "Fifth Avenue – the ultimate shopping district and home of Saks and Company."

As we pass by the high buildings, I recognize a couple famous sites. Madison Square Garden, Rockfeller Centre, Empire State Building… I block out the constant honking of cars from my ears, completely ignoring the _whooshing _of the vehicles zooming past us in the air and on the ground. There are countless ads and commercials playing on the screens on the high buildings, and there is a constant flow of people travelling by the air pipes to their destinations in the city.

As the bridge crosses over with another, Syaoran and I see a couple holding each other and remember that we're supposed to be a couple too. He gives an amused grin and takes my hand as we arrive on Fifth Avenue. Not far from us is Saks Fifth Avenue, the famous shopping place. I look up at the building in interest. They've kept the antique exterior and interior, but I can see the modern technology used to run the place.

There's a sign reading, "_New vintage line released by the legendary Chanel! Find your style from the 1960's to the 2000's!_" Syaoran follows my eye and begins to laugh. "I forgot; you're a girl. Do you want to go in?"

I resist the urge to kick him. "We'll come back when we have access to the rest of our money."

At this Syaoran stops laughing and sighs. "Well, we can't afford to buy things right now, least of all at Saks, but looking at the displays is free," he points out.

I grin and tighten my hand around his. "Let's just go eat; those clothes are a rip-off anyway." Although back in my house in San Francisco, I own a couple of items from Saks… He seems to remember the same thing, and he just raises his eyebrows and shrugs. Then he glances at the wall behind me and smirks.

"Ah," he says softly.

I turn around, only to be greeted by my own face. I nearly scream. It's our wanted posters. It's certainly not the most flattering picture of me. They've even printed out every single description about my body and face… even the measurements. How embarrassing. Syaoran whistles. "This girl doesn't seem like she'd weigh that much," he says, inconspicuously looking around us to check if anyone's eavesdropping. But of course not; it's the Big Apple, where everyone is in a hurry.

I grit my teeth. "Those are measurements from last year!" I hiss quietly

He suddenly gives me a look that reads, "_Yeah, and you've lost some weight recently._" The last thing I need is him thinking that it's his fault I'm losing weight. I mean, losing weight isn't that bad. I've always wanted to lose some. I cough and give a tug on his hand. "You'd think these two were a pair of serial killers." It's pretty fun referring to yourself in third person.

He grins. "By the way, that outfit in the picture looks good on her."

"Shut up!" I blush. That picture was taken right after I'd woken up from a night I slept at the Barastelle, so I was in very, very unappealing clothing. I bet you anything that Touya chose this picture to embarrass me.

The thought of my brother causes me to sigh. We walk into a small restaurant in the corner and blend ourselves into the crowd by sitting in the middle area. I order a Philly Cheese Sandwich and Syaoran orders an Egg Benedict. When we're' sure no one's listening, we launch into a conversation.

"There might be an Agent in here, so we've got to stay alert," Syaoran says, reminding me of how he always was whenever we were on a mission, "If I think we're being followed, I'll put my arm around you and we'll have to make some detours to throw them off."

Agents are the bridge between the scientists and Hunters, and we rarely see them in action. The Agents only work with the Hunters to help capture difficult vampires and werewolves to bring them back to the scientists. I guess they don't trust the Hunters entirely. We don't know why they bother imprisoning the half-humans they capture again – probably for research, I guess. "If we see a Hunter, we'll recognize them, so that's alright," I frown, "But Agents… the only one I know is that bastard Anderson."

"Oh yeah," he raises his eyebrow, "He's one brutal son of a bitch," he scowls. "He hates vampires and anyone who associates with them to an extreme level, so we'll have to watch out for him."

"I bet he's ordered an illegal gun just to get a shot at one of us," I grin wickedly.

Syaoran notices our meals arriving and flawlessly changes the topic, bringing his glass of water to his lips. "So, we'll head off to the library and see if there's anything interesting to read, okay honey?"

I nearly burst out giggling helplessly, and the corners of my mouth are twitching as the waiter sets down our food. "Whatever you want, pumpkin."

At this, Syaoran spits out the water in laughter, right in the waiter's face.

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We're still laughing as we head up the stairs of the New York Public Library, and just calming down as we're being scanned for weapons. It's a relief that the Barastelle's weapons don't show up on these scanners. They had made it so that undercover Hunters could chase their prey anywhere without having to be slowed down by the weapon checks, but they didn't think about how it can help runaways like us in situations like this. We enter the luxurious library and immediately head towards one of the isolated research areas.

The computers in the research areas allow people to search for what they want and call up images of the pages of the relevant books to save time. Syaoran sits down beside me and types, "the Crimson Night." I do the same.

I click on the second entry, and a page of text shows up on the screen. But there's nothing that we don't know already. We quietly and cautiously keep searching for at least an hour, until Syaoran finally finds something.

It's a video clip with a short description: "The day before the Crimson Night, in one of the research labs where the half-humans escaped from." He clicks the play button.

On the screen, we see a vampire held in a cell. He's laughing, this one… like a psychopath. "What's so funny?" a scientist asks, turning away from his computer and frowning. "We're going to get out of here," the vampire whispers hoarsely, "We're going to get out of this hellhole!" The scientist laughs coldly, "Alright then, what's your plan?" The vampire chuckles wordlessly, looking over at another vampire beside him. The second vampire smirks, "Even if we told you, you wouldn't believe us… but listen to this; you will be sorry you ever did all this." Then, all of a sudden, there are loud laughters all around. The scientists all look around them, alarmed that all the vampires are laughing.

The clip ends.

Syaoran and I stare at the screen for a moment before playing it again. "Is it just me or is this clip kind of confusing?" I ask.

"Well, for one thing, the vampires seemed to all know how they were going to escape," he frowns, "But why did they wait? Why would they wait until the next night?"

"Although it's not shown here, there were werewolves held in the lab too, right? Would they have known about it too?"

"They were probably held in a different area, so I'm not sure. But still, every single one of them broke out that night, so they couldn't have not known about it… I just don't know how they would have found out… unless…" he trails off.

"It was someone from the outside," I whisper. The outside meaning outside of the cells.

"But it can't be any scientists… there were no records of any scientist accessing the labs that night, and only their ID cards worked…" he ruffles his hair. "So it had to be a person who knew how to enter and hack the lab to open the cells without resorting to violence."

The alarms would have sounded if someone broke in, but no one did. And we would know if a scientist entered. Our only clues would have been the cameras, but they were of course formatted and destroyed. "This is so confusing," I groan, "It could have been one of the vampires, but…"

"No cell was broken in any way," Syaoran finishes.

"This is the kind of time when Tomoyo comes in useful," I sigh.

He doesn't say a word, but he suddenly tenses. I look around and frown.

The library's emptying.

People are leaving silently out the main doors.

My eyes widen as I catch a glimpse of a familiar Hunter beyond the crowd.

Shit. We were too absorbed in the researching. Big mistake.

I immediately look around for exits. There are a few open windows, but they're pretty high above the floor. But Syaoran could easily jump up the bookshelves and go out of them, with his new agility and all. Besides, vampires always are able to jump really high. I've got to stop comparing him to a fucking vampire, my goodness.

Syaoran seems to be eyeing the windows, as well. He's about to say something when the doors slam shut. We both turn to face a large group of Hunters and Agents, all pointing guns at us. Among them are Meilin Li and Ewan Townsend… and oh shit, Scott Anderson, the devil.

"Fuck," Syaoran swears, activating his gun.

I follow suit and take a deep breath. "How'd you find us? I thought we were pretty well-disguised."

"You are," Anderson replies, removing his sunglasses, "I wouldn't give you a second look if you passed by me on the street. However," he smirks, "Your weapons led us directly to you."

Syaoran and I look at each other. "So they secretly marked our guns with tracking devices? How rude," Syaoran scoffs.

"Every one of the Barastelle's weapons is marked – the Hunters are not notified in case of situations like these," Anderson points directly at Syaoran's head with his gun.

I instinctively aim at Anderson. Ignoring the Hunters, who immediately turn to me with their guns, I slowly say, "You're always the bearer of bad news, aren't you."

Syaoran smirks, "Aren't you underestimating us? We remain to be the top Vampire Hunter pair of the Barastelle." He doesn't seem to care that Agents only work to capture difficult vampires… and that means he's been marked as very, very dangerous. I smile at this thought.

"Do you still consider yourself a Hunter after all this?" Anderson remarks snidely.

At this my smile vanishes. Then I shoot at him.

It all happens really quickly. Anderson dodges the bullet. The Hunters charge at us, shooting madly. I think some of them are scared of us. I gain confidence from this and begin to fight them, knocking them out by hitting or kicking them in the back of the head or throwing them hard at the walls. From the corner of my eyes I see Syaoran doing the same thing, but it'll be dangerous if we stay too long; there's bound to be some blood.

After a while, the only Hunters able to fight are Meilin and Ewan. Those Agent bastards are standing by the doors, watching smugly. Apparently they find this amusing, and they're sure they'll win, even if the Hunters don't. Maybe they're just smug about the fact that the Hunters couldn't capture us. As if I'll let any of them try to seize us.

Syaoran and Ewan are already in the middle of a fight. No offense to Ewan, but he's always admired Syaoran a bit, and I'm pretty sure he won't win. And the Agents are too big of assholes to try and help Ewan or Meilin. So I turn my attention to Meilin, who glares back into my eyes with fury.

"I don't know what to say," she whispers hoarsely, aiming at me with her gun.

"Me neither," I reply before charging at her.

She grabs my hair and throws me to the floor, making the side of my head collide painfully with the marble. That hurts like bitch. I kick her ankle, causing her to stumble for balance and let go of me. Using this advantage, I take hold of her wrist and pull her towards me, ready to knock her out.

"You're too soft!" she shouts before punching me in the stomach.

I cough hard, having the wind knocked out of me. I stagger on the spot and weakly hold her back as she tries to hit me with her gun. I don't think she wants to use the gun, either.

"Look who's talking," I grin before punching her across the face.

Without hesitation she kicks my arm, causing me to drop my gun. Then she kicks me again, sending me to the floor. As I get up, I glance over at Syaoran, who's just about to finish off with Ewan. Then I look into Meilin's ruby eyes, searching for a trace of any other feeling than competiveness. As she flinches from the sudden intensity of my gaze, I whisper, "Sorry." With that I swiftly hit her in the back of her neck, causing her to lose consciousness. A skill learned from Syaoran. I catch her and lay her carefully on the floor as Syaoran approaches me, wiping away his sweat with the back of his hand.

That's I realize that Anderson's ready to shoot at Syaoran.

Damn it.

I instinctively lunge toward Syaoran and bring him to the floor with me, but before we hit the ground, I feel something rip into my upper right leg. I scream out in pain, and I'm burying my face in Syaoran's chest the next moment. He sits up, supporting me with his arms. Then, he very quickly carries me, bridal style, running towards the shelves for shelter.

He sets me down and examines my leg. "Let's get out of here and get you to a doctor."

The bullet got me bad – there's blood everywhere. I look up into Syaoran's fevered eyes. He's suppressing his thirst. Then I have to look away, because I have to grit my teeth to not cry out as the pain strikes me worse than before. He rips away my jeans out of the way and attempts to get the bullet out. The pain is beyond screaming; I bury my face in his shoulder and gasp out, trying to clear my head.

"You know, I would have been able to avoid the bullet," Syaoran comments bitterly, ripping his shirt and tying it around my wound. I cry out this time, cursing myself for momentarily forgetting about his new agility. Goddammit.

I hear the cocky Agents approaching with leisure when I realize something. The bullet in my leg must have a tracking device in it. Even if we escaped, we'd have to stop to take it out, and during that break, they will find us.

Great. Just great.

Syaoran probably realized it too; his voice is trembling as he says, "Sakura, get on to my back, now." He tosses his gun away from him. What an idiot.

"Syaoran, get the hell out of here," I grit my teeth, anxiously looking to see how close they are. They're not far away – but with Syaoran's speed, he could escape.

"Get up, now!" he yells frantically, looking more scared than ever. He knows that I won't go with him; he just doesn't want to leave me alone. The thought is enough for me. I don't want to see him get hurt. Tears spring to my eyes as I roughly grab him by the neck of his shirt.

"I won't ever, ever forgive you if you don't go now," I bite my lip and ignore the pain in my leg, "Please, Syaoran."

He gazes at me for a moment before biting his lip. He reaches out and kisses me hard on the forehead and gets up. Then he begins to run, jumping up the shelves. In a flash, he's gone. I smile. The next moment, a gun is pointed at my head, where it's bleeding from being thrown to the ground. My breath hitches in my throat at the sharp pain. Eight Agents are aiming their guns at me, all wearing emotionless faces.

"Sakura Kinomoto, you are under arrest," are the words I hear from Anderson. The cold-blooded asshole. His cold eyes are glaring into mine as he roughly takes my arm and brings me to my feet. I nearly scream, grabbing my bleeding leg. "Where did the vampire go? We saw him a moment ago, standing in front of you."

Now they're referring to Syaoran as the "_vampire_?" When most of the vampires we were notified of were hunted down by him?

I give a hollow laugh, lowering the gun away from my head. I stare straight into his eyes and whisper, "Are you aiming for _another _million-dollar reward by capturing Syaoran yourself? Why don't you just satisfy yourself with the bounty you're gonna get from turning me in?"

He smirks, grabbing the front of my shirt threateningly. "You don't honestly think that I'm doing this for the money, do you?"

"I've learned that bastards like you can easily be manipulated by money," I push his hand away from me.

For that comment I receive a blow in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I cough and swagger, struggling to remain on my feet. I lean heavily on my good leg and bite my lips to prevent myself from screaming in pain. I want my human rights back, dammit. Blood pours out from my wound as I finally give in to the pain and exhaustion. My knees buckle, and I fall heavily to the floor, panting and trying not to cry out. Anderson commands, "Take her away."

Two guards I recognize hesitantly seize and cuff me before leading me towards the vehicles, half-carrying me there. As everywhere begins to hurt to the point where I'm dizzy, I begin to laugh. This is so ironic. I've dedicated my life to my duty as a Vampire Hunter, and now I'm being arrested like any other criminal.

"Fuck you, Anderson," I spit.

The next thing I know, I'm hit hard across the face, and I pass out.

How humiliating.

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**Chapter 5 – Shot – End –**

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Sakura's been caught!! OH NO! XD (I wanted to title the chapter "Capture," but I didn't want to give it away... :P

It was interesting to write about New York… those of you who read my Shopaholic fics should have an idea why :P And if you read those, you would have also recognized names such as "Daniel (aka Danny)," "Brendon" and "Emily." (They're references to my original characters from my Shopaholic Sakura series) Ahh… the memories…

Maybe I will come up with another sequel for it. Just maybe. I will come up with another love comedy for sure, anyway.

Did you guys enjoy the chapter:) This is so far the longest chapter for this story… and my hands were tired by the last couple paragraphs… but I did it :D

**Please review!**

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	6. Chapter 6: Trial

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Wow. Over 200 reviews for 5 chapters… that's much better than I expected. It make me happy XD Thank you guys for reading and reviewing :D

Hmm. Sorry for the late update, I've been very busy… Also, may I point out an interesting incident where I pointed out a fic for using a Mary Sue character and plot… and got flamed and cursed at in return by a friend of that author… She told me to 'go die' and called me the bad word for a 'female dog' a lot… Kind of pissed me off because she kept swearing at me and even insulted my very close friend who happened to criticize the same story… I hope that person will stop PMing, reviewing, and emailing (yes, she went as far as to email me), and leave me alone so I can write my story in peace. Ha. Now I feel better after telling you guys :D ANYWAYS, here's the update.

So, enjoy that chapter… **Please read and review** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

Faves/alerts lighten up my day :D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 6 – Trial**

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"Habituation puts to sleep the eye of our judgment."

- _Montaigne_

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Agony.

My entire body feels as if it's drowning. Shock is channeling through my senses. I feel my head spinning and my leg burning up. But I can't get up. I can't open my eyes. The pain is grasping me entirely, not letting go, wanting to force me deep into the darkness…

I gasp as cold water is dumped on my face. I breathe deeply and wipe my eyes. I wince as I feel the wound in my leg stinging terribly – they didn't even bother giving me painkillers... Damn them. Well, at least they bandaged it. I grit my teeth and shift a bit to rest my bad leg more comfortably… although it's impossible to be comfortable in this stinking place.

I'm jailed in a cell. I'm imprisoned in a fucking cell; the same cell that was occupied by hundreds of common criminals and half-humans. I'm even dressed in a dull grey tunic. This is stupid. Everywhere is aching. I've been bashed into the floor headfirst, punched in the stomach and across the face, all in one day. I gingerly rub the aching bruise on my cheek, wanting nothing more than to shoot that motherfucking Agent.

Speak of the devil. Anderson enters, glaring at me as if I killed his mother or something. Honestly, he needs to grow up and get over himself. "Thanks for waking me up," I remark, noting the now-empty bucket he's holding.

"Stop being such a smart-ass, Kinomoto," he snaps.

I give him an innocent look that reads, _"Smart-ass? Who, me?"_

"Too bad they banned torturing in the Barastelle, huh?" he smirks.

"Absolutely," I give him an icy smile. Moronic sadist.

He suddenly grabs me by the neck of my tunic and shoves me hard into the wall, causing me to whimper from the new affliction. "I can't stand people like you," he hisses dangerously, "It's one thing to have a bitch of an attitude, but it's unacceptable to be of aid to a-"

"Excuse me," a woman's voice calls out. We both turn to face her. My eyes widen.

It's Officer Nakuru Akizuki – I've known her since Touya entered the Barastelle. Her brown hair is tied in a ponytail trailing down her back, and her piercing eyes turn to Anderson. "I'm here to treat her wound, and General Churchill requested you visit him."

Anderson slowly lets go of me. "I'll do that," he gives me final look before heading out.

Nakuru kneels by my side and begins to tend to my leg in silence. That's when I realize that the bullet has already been taken out, and she's just reapplying the medicine and changing the bandages. Thank God I wasn't awake while it was being taken out. I would have thrown up… or died from shock.

That's when she finally speaks. "You were always causing trouble, and now you've done it."

I can't help but grin, partly in relief that she's talking to me.

"You've been sleeping for three days, by the way," she notes.

I raise my eyebrows. Then I realize I had been sleeping tensely, in fear of being attacked since we left. "I was tired," I reply. That's an understatement.

"Your brother was worried to death since you left," she says, bandaging my leg. She and Touya attended the Academy together, and they're good friends.

"Is he coming?" I gulp.

"What do you think?" she smiles and gets up. "You should get some rest. I'll come by again soon."

"Thanks," I give her a small salute as she locks my cell and walks away.

I rest my head against the cold wall and sigh. I'm scared to see my brother. What will he say? Will he talk at all? And what about Tomoyo? Eriol? What will I tell them? What will they tell me?

Three days… I wonder where Syaoran is. He better be alright... And he better not think of playing hero and coming to 'rescue' me. I'll kill him if he does.

Thinking about Syaoran makes me shiver unexpectedly, and I raise my hand to touch the scar on my throat. He hasn't drunk my blood in three days… How is he satisfying his thirst? Is he hunting on animals or something? Or is he preying on other people out of desperation…? Perhaps he found some vampires to slay? He can't be going insane, right? It's only three days… although it seems like an eternity since I last saw him.

Suddenly, my breaths quicken, and I find myself leaning against the wall for support. I feel cold sweat everywhere, and my heart is pounding like crazy. I feel the pulse in my throat thumping, the action growing bigger and bigger until I feel I'm about to burst. Blood is rushing to my throat as if I'm being bitten by Syaoran there; I feel like I'm going to suffocate. It's hard to breathe…

It's just like when I was in the process of quitting drugs and smoking – I hurt physically, as if I was going to die if I didn't smoke.

I gasp out and writhe a bit on the spot, my nails digging into the holes in my throat, desperately trying to mimic Syaoran's teeth. I need to make this stop. I need to be bitten… or at least something like it. A cry escapes my mouth as I feel my throat rip, exactly where Syaoran always bites into. My entire body suddenly relaxes and I feel an exhilarating sensation. I feel the blood running down my throat, and I examine the red substance on my fingers in amazement. It was nothing like being bitten by Syaoran, and the pain is much worse… there was no pleasure, either. But nevertheless, I feel my heart slowing down back to normal and my breathing calming down.

As I smell the blood in the air, I realize something.

I'm addicted to being bitten.

And I've become something like a masochist.

Fabulous.

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After the bleeding has stopped on my throat, Tomoyo and Eriol enter my cell. I dreadfully look up at them. To my surprise, Tomoyo throws herself on me, sobbing hysterically and holding me close to her. Eriol slumps down and hangs his head, probably tearing up as well. I feel my own eyes watering, and soon it's waterworks all around. We all cry without a word. This is when I realize how much I've missed them both. They were two of my first friends at the Barastelle.

It takes us a while before we all calm down.

Tomoyo sniffs and holds my hands, looking at me anxiously. "You've lost weight, Sakura."

Is it that noticeable? I manage a smile and shrug.

"How's Syaoran?" Eriol murmurs, still not looking up.

I bite my lip. "He's better than before, I guess," I sigh, "I don't know where he is right now."

Tomoyo begins to tear up again. "I know I can't ask you why you ran away, because I know the answer. So does Eriol," she wipes her eyes, "But I have to say that I can't believe I'm meeting you in this place."

"Me neither," I reply, suddenly aware of the cameras around us. I slowly pull Tomoyo close to me, setting my arms so that my face is invisible and whispering almost silently into her ear, "There's something wrong, Tomoyo. There's something else about the Crimson Night." I feel her tense, but I go on anyways. "The vampires knew about their escape the day before the night, but they waited for some reason. They even told a scientist that they were going to get out. I have a feeling that the Barastelle is hiding something from all of us."

Eriol suddenly gets up and pats Tomoyo on the back before giving me a look that reads, "Someone's coming." With that he gives me a quick hug and says, "We'll come again soon, Sakura. Don't go crazy until then."

"Very funny," I crack a grin.

As soon as they exit, Anderson returns, this time with a stick. Oh God, don't tell me he got a permit to beat me up or something. I wince as he grabs me roughly and brings me to my feet, completely disregarding the leg he damaged. Then he clicks the stick, surrounding me with a bright glow of light. Thank God, it's not a tool to hit me with – it's a scanning device to confirm my identity. When he's done, he gives me a smirk and says, "Rest while you can – the trial's in a few hours." Then he walks away. That bastard.

I slump down against the wall and sigh. I wince at the pain in my leg. For some reason, the pain reminds me of the time I got hurt while training with Syaoran. When I first became a full-fledged Hunter, Syaoran vigorously and ruthlessly trained me. Actually, he had trained me before so that I could be suited to become his partner. Everything I know today is from him.

I can't believe I've only been a full-fledged Hunter since only last year – it feels like forever.

Closing my eyes as the pain begins to dull, I recall the time when I first became a Vampire Hunter.

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**A year ago…**

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As I head towards the Academy's front lobby, I begin to bite my nails. What if I didn't make it? What will Syaoran say? What will he _do_? My God, he'll probably murder me and throw my remains down a river or something. Or something close to it. If I didn't make it, I will be thoroughly disappointed in myself. And so will Syaoran. I have to have made it. Failure is not an option here.

I slowly look up at the screen surrounded by at least fifty people. Time seems to go by at a dreadfully slow pace as I scan the list of names for mine. Eriol Hiiragizawa… Ewan Townsend… Meilin Li… Goddammit, I better have been accepted… Then I find it, and I have to stare at it for a full minute before relief rushes through me. I sigh and grin to myself before walking away from the crowd. When I lean against the wall, a hand pats me on the head.

"Congrats," says Syaoran with a smile.

I grin in reply, about to walk with him when I hear poorly hushed whispers.

"How the hell did Sakura Kinomoto make it?" a girl is scowling, "All she did since she entered the Academy was do drugs and smoke!"

"I bet she slept with tons of people to become a Hunter," someone scoffs, "She's such a slut."

Slut.

The word echoes in my head, sending off an unusual, hollow sort of feeling.

I barely realize that I've stopped walking as I hear more people join their conversation: they continue to call me a druggie and a whore, even going as far as to saying that my brother helped me somehow. As if he would.

How dare they insult me like this.

How dare they talk about me as if they know me.

Do they know what kind of pain I went through, trying to get back up to my feet? Do they know how hard I worked to quit drugs and smoking, and how hard I worked my ass off to get here? What do they know?

Before I can even clench my fist in anger, though, Syaoran suddenly strides past me and towards the crowd. A hush falls over the hall – Syaoran _is _a famous Hunter.

He looks pissed off – his eyes are icy, his jaw tense and his voice steely as he speaks, "If you want to insult Sakura, at least try to do it without having me around." He smirks coldly. "By the way, she's been chosen to be my partner from now on."

There's a sharp intake of breaths across the room. Most Vampire Hunters only dream of being placed with Syaoran Li, the prodigy Hunter. I grant myself a little smile to myself before giving a tug at Syaoran's arm. "Let's go."

He nods, taking my shoulder casually before leading us away from them all.

Only Syaoran knows what I've been through.

Only he's allowed to insult me, because he's seen it all, and has helped me overcome everything.

"Shall we go for a nice dose of cocaine now?" he gives a wink.

I smile in reply. "Let's settle for some coffee for today."

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"Get up," Anderson snaps, bringing me back to the present.

I look up at him. Oh, there are just too many words I can throw at him like a rifle…

But biting my tongue, I obey without comment. I don't think I can handle being punched again at the moment. Yet I can't help but roll my eyes as he ties my hands and feet and begins to lead me out. Honestly, this has got to be the most humiliating moment of my life. I've even got a bad leg. But I manage to hold my head high and not look troubled. I even try to limp as inconspicuously as possible. I knew all along that this would be my punishment for my decisions.

"Time for you to be tried," he smirks as we exit the dungeons. Oh joy.

I can't help but glance sideways every now and then, for any sign of Syaoran being here. But he's nowhere to be seen. I sigh, giving myself a thin smile. I told him I wouldn't forgive him if he came.

He's always stood up for me, always protected me. But this time, even he can't save me.

By the time we reach the doors to the Barastelle courtroom, there are many guards surrounding me, all of them pointing guns directly at me. Then Anderson, the bastard, wraps a red ribbon around my neck and tightens it so much that it suffocates me for a moment – the mark of a traitor. I realize that he tied the ribbon in a way to give a clear view of Syaoran's teeth marks on my throat. Sadistic son of a bitch.

I begin to breathe as slowly as possible as I'm led into the courtroom. All of the Barastelle seems to be present; every single Hunter, Analyst, Officer, Commander, guard, and even the Lieutenant and the General and his secretary. I can't help but scoff. One would think I was responsible for wiping the entire human race out or something. They immediately start talking to each other in hushed voices.

I meet the eyes of people I have known for many years – Tomoyo, Eriol, Yukito, Meilin, Ewan, Commander Montague, Kaho, my brother's fiancée and the General's secretary, and finally, my brother – Commander Kinomoto.

Most of them are looking at me with disbelieving eyes, as if expecting me to grin and shout, "April Fool's!" or something. I see my brother. I don't know what he's thinking. I'm scared to look at him. I don't know if I have the courage to.

Anderson brings me to my knees with a hard push, holding the end of the ribbon tied around my neck, as if longing nothing more than to choke me to death with it. The voices die out as the General stands to look down at me.

"Sakura Kinomoto," General Churchill booms, "You have been brought here today for committing a terrible crime." I force myself to look straight at him. Don't let him know I'm scared, I tell myself over and over again. I can't let these people think that I'm scared. "You have been proven to have aided Syaoran Li, a former Vampire Hunter who has become contaminated by a vampire, when you were to immediately hand him over to the Agents."

"I don't remember Syaoran resigning from his position as a Hunter, sir," I interrupt. Oh shit. Why did I just say that?

A quiet murmur flows through the crowd, and Anderson gives me a tug on the ribbon around my neck, making me jerk and gasp out. General Churchill continues as if I never spoke, "Not only that, but you have been proven to have provided Syaoran Li with your blood, willingly," he points at the mark on my throat, "You should know that this act is an unforgivable treason against humankind."

Of course I know that. Get on with it. I keep coming up with smartass comments to cover up my fear and anxiety. Syaoran better not come. If he does, I will kill him myself. I manage a small smile at the thought of him. That hypocrite, worrying me, even at a time like this.

"And your sentence has been decided by myself and the Commanders of the Barastelle," he pauses, "You will have no opportunity to bail out with money or the surrendering of your status, nor will you have the opportunity to object or compromise this decision."

I force myself to keep on looking straight ahead. It's harder than it sounds.

"Sakura Kinomoto, you are sentenced to death for your crimes."

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**Chapter 6 – Trial – End –**

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Dun dun duh… Sakura has been sentenced to be EXECUTED! (GASP)

Oh, I've been yearning to write that last line…

Anyways, sort of finished this chapter in a rush, because I'm going away again tomorrow, and I don't know when I can update the next chapter… yet. I hope it will be soon. So, sorry for any oddities or mistakes…

Please review, for reviews encourage me to write faster:D

Adieu!

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	7. Chapter 7: Execution

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** I'm back! So sorry for the late, late update. I had a lot of things going on in school and all that… Anyways, I've created a LiveJournal, so please add me as your friend if you have an account :D (my LJ account is "_waltzalone_") There's not much on it yet… :P Oh, and thanks for all those reviews :)

Okay, here's the latest chapter of VH, finally!

**Please read and review!** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 7 - Execution**

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"Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall."

- _William Shakespeare_

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"Sakura Kinomoto, you are sentenced to death for your crimes."

General Churchill's voice echoes over and over again in my head, along with the gasps of the crowd that followed that statement.

You've got to be kidding me. It still feels so unreal.

The trial ended hours ago. Well, technically it wasn't even a trial – it was more a public announcement of my death.

Why am I so bitter, after coming this far? I knew that this would happen.

But still, I don't want to die. Not yet…

I wrap my fingers around the cold metal poles barring me from the outside, resting my head against them. They've placed me in the Barastelle's courtyard, displaying me to every single person here. People have been coming and going, peering at me as if I was the circus. This is so old-fashioned; there are things called human rights, you know. I _should_ have the right to not be put on public display for the entire world to goggle at.

I sigh, knowing that no one gives a damn about my rights anymore. And I'm not even considered a human anymore – I've given my blood to a contaminated being, staining my so-called purity and stripping me of all those fancy rights. My eyes venture up towards the night sky, where the stars are shimmering brightly, regardless of my own dismal fate.

Footsteps are approaching me. I immediately tense, drawing back into the shadows of my cell. The two guards in front of my jail lower their weapons and step aside for the newcomer. In the dim moonlight, I'm able to recognize him.

"Yukito," I call out, crawling close to the poles.

"Hey," he smiles, crouching down to meet my eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Fabulous," I reply, "Just savouring the last day of my life."

He sighs deeply, his glasses sliding down a bit. "I can't believe they rushed your execution like that. Normally they would have given at least a week."

"Yeah, well, this isn't a normal situation, I think," my eyes flicker to the guards. "Have you talked to Tomoyo and Eriol?"

"Not yet."

"You should some time soon," I say casually, hoping that Tomoyo and Eriol understood the message I gave them yesterday. If something really is wrong, they can figure it out with Yukito, and I could die in peace. I can't just take this to the grave.

"Sure," he replies, looking a bit puzzled.

Suddenly, I realize something. "Where's Touya?"

Yukito sighs.

"Is he coming at all?" I can't control the note of desperation in my voice.

"Knowing him, he'll show up at the last minute," he manages a smile.

I can't believe this brother of mine. His only sister is about to be killed and he doesn't even come see me? But then again, maybe it's a good thing I won't see him. I don't know what to say to him. I don't know how to face him anymore.

I'm scared that the only family I have left won't trust me.

I jump slightly as I feel a hand on my head. Yukito smiles warily before standing up. "I don't know what to say in a situation like this."

"Me neither," I manage a grin.

"Stay strong," he finally says. It sounds more like a question.

I watch him disappear into the building, and catch the eye of the guard in front of me. He gives me a sickening look before turning back to face the front. I'm really a prisoner now, aren't I? It wouldn't be surprising if the guards tried to rape me here and there… but they're probably uncomfortable with the fact that my brother's a Commander.

Touya…

The words he shouted at me as I left the Barastelle echo in my head.

"_Have you forgotten the reason you entered the Barastelle?"_

I sigh and close my eyes, painfully recalling the night that became my reason to become a Hunter…

-

-

**Five years ago… The Crimson Night.**

-

Blood.

Screams.

More blood.

I pick myself up from the ground, too numb to feel the glass shards digging into my hands. My eyes venture around the horrific sight before me. I don't want to see this. But I can't move. I can't close my eyes. I can't do anything.

A silent scream emerges from inside me. I'm too scared to make a sound.

A person with pale skin as white as snow… biting into a woman's throat. He's beautiful, but in an eerie sort of way. He has… fangs? How can that be? Behind him, I see more people like him jumping on other victims. I try to run, but my legs are rooted to the ground. Then, suddenly, his eyes meet mine.

My knees suddenly grow weak and I slump down on the spot, unable to do anything but watch as the man smiles, blood trickling down his lips… He makes a step towards me… then another.

I finally realize that this isn't a man. This is a being that my parents and brother were trained to capture if he ever escaped.

He's a vampire.

By pure instinct, I begin to tremble. At first it's a slight tremor; soon it becomes a hysterical fit.

His hands are reaching for me…

My voice is caught in my throat, though I know screaming isn't going to be of much help.

Don't touch me… Don't let him touch me…

A loud gunshot cuts through the sound of chaos around me.

More blood.

Before I can see the vampire on the ground, though, my brother shields my eyes with his hand.

"Best if you don't look," he murmurs, panting heavily.

Touya is attending the Barastelle to become a Hunter like our parents. But I never saw him with a gun before. In fact, I've never seen a person with a gun before.

"What's happening, Touya?" I whisper, gripping his arm. I feel him trying to stop me from shaking so much, but I can't seem to calm down. He senses this, and he wraps his arms tightly around me.

"I don't know."

"Where's mom and dad?"

He pauses. "I don't know."

-

-

-

That night seemed to drag on forever.

Blood, dead bodies and screams all around.

Buildings weren't destroyed; it was the people who were destroyed.

I was one of them.

Before that night, Hunters were like coastal guards, ready to strike but rarely seeing action. They sometimes captured people who ran away after being bitten by a vampire at the lab, but almost never battled actual vampires. But merely carrying the title of a Hunter was an honour.

I never saw my parents after that night.

Their bodies were never found, and they were filed as "missing in action."

My parents were killed battling vampires and werewolves.

The reason I entered the Barastelle was to ensure I didn't die in the same manner… and to seek revenge.

But now, I'm being executed for helping a half-vampire.

How ironic.

I've lost.

I've lost the reason I became a Hunter, and now I'm losing my life.

My eyes wander off into the sky, where the moon is shining as brilliantly as it was on that night.

Slowly, I begin to drift into darkness, images of recent events repeating themselves inside my head.

-

-

"Get up, Kinomoto."

Groaning, I open my eyes and look up. I feel asleep huddled up by the wall. It's morning already. The sun burns my tired eyes as I'm forced to stand up. As my hands are tied behind my back I realize something.

Today's my execution date.

Strange to be aware of your own death… even stranger that it doesn't seem real, even now. Anderson blindfolds me and begins to lead me out. After walking quite a bit in numbness, I open my eyes in completely new surroundings.

I realize that I'm in a lab.

The very same kind of lab that was in the videos regarding the Crimson Night… and the lab that I examined as a student at the Academy. Slightly intrigued, I look around the modern technology, taking note of the huge screens displaying security monitors and research processes.

Two scientists emerge from the shadows of the tall tubes containing some unknown liquid. It's like a scene straight out of a horror movie. They both study me with their eyes, murmuring something to each other. What the hell are they going to do to me?

As Anderson steps towards them, I let out a shaky breath; I squeeze my hands, feeling the rope dig into my wrists. I need to calm down. That fucking fit is trying to come back. It's crawling up my body, ready to consume me like before. The part of me that craves for a vampire's touch is taking over me. But I can't lose to it… not right now.

"It's a pity they don't want any new vampires," one scientist says quietly with an eerie smile.

"Yeah, this girl would have made a fine one," the other agrees.

…What?

Anderson lets out a bark of laughter. "Kinomoto, a vampire? If she were one, maybe it would have been much more interesting to capture her."

What the hell? Did I hear right?

They wanted to make me a vampire?

What the fuck is going on?

Before I can do any more thinking, though, Anderson shoves me roughly into a chair.

"Hurry up with the examination; make sure she doesn't have any vampire traits," he says, "We don't want her biting off someone's head today."

A chill goes down my back as the scientists surround me. "Don't touch me," I whisper, cold sweat forming everywhere.

They ignore me and begin.

A needle goes through my arm at one point. They nearly tear open the scar on my throat. They fucking find traces of drugs and alcohol in my blood; after all this time, it's always been there. They take my blood and analyze it. They don't find out about my addiction.

"So she's clean," Anderson smirks, "To a certain extent."

I glare at him, and before I can react he slaps my face. He nearly drags me back out of the lab, blindfolded again, muttering some shit under his breath.

"I bet sleeping with a Vampire was completely different than doing it with humans."

_Ignore him_, I bite my lips.

"But then again, I bet most of the times you had sex, you were high, so you wouldn't remember most of it."

_Shut the hell up_, my teeth rip into my lip, and I can taste the blood in my mouth.

"If you had just stayed here, Kinomoto, you would have followed your brother's footsteps and became a Commander or something. But you just had to go off with a Vampire."

The pressure of everything's starting to cave in on me; the fact that I'm going to be killed soon, the fact that I'm addicted to Vampire bites, the fact that I still have drugs in my body, the fact that I'm not going to see Syaoran ever again…

"Do you have any death wishes?" he turns to look at me challengingly.

Something snaps inside of me. Everything just breaks down, and it's as if all the emotions I've been trying to keep under control during my capture has broken loose. With a loud scream I throw myself at Anderson, kicking, thrashing, biting, whatever I can do to hurt him in some way. I can't take it anymore. I can't bottle up my feelings until I die.

I want to kill this motherfucker.

I've got him pinned to the ground with my knees, one leg on the ground and one shoving against his throat. I feel a rush of blinding emotions in me as I try to hurt this guy. I watch him gag. I watch his eyes bulge, watch him struggle beneath me.

Then, all of a sudden, pain.

I cry out as I'm thrown back to the ground, my hands crushed under my weight. Everything seems to drain out of me. I'm just crumpled up on the ground, looking up as Anderson massages his throat and holds out a small device that just shocked me.

"You bitch," he pants, kicking my stomach. I gasp out, trying to cover myself the best I can with my hands tied behind my back. He kicks, kicks, and kicks. Then he slaps me. I'm miserable. I am miserable.

"I was going to let you die in peace, but you just had to ruin it for yourself," he spits.

I keep quiet, unable to move or speak. I just breathe helplessly as two guards pick me up off the ground and drag me away. Away and away. Towards my graveyard.

As my feet shuffle on the ground, memories flood into my mind, blurring me from the reality. Having dinner with my entire family… Going on a trip to Japan with my family… Meeting Syaoran… Becoming a Hunter…

Before I know it, I'm in the courtyard. I'm being tied to a pole, the entire Barastelle watching me from behind the executioners. The executioners are holding regular guns. I guess I'm getting killed old-style. How fun.

General Churchill begins to speak, and I glare at Anderson as he smirks, clearly satisfied. This guy's so twisted.

I close my eyes, and my life flashes before me. Fear of the unknown is gripping me, refusing to let go. Regrets, reluctance to die, all these feelings are consuming me, overwhelming me with emotions. I don't want to die. I really don't want to die.

I haven't done anything yet.

I haven't accomplished anything or found out anything.

Dying like this is unbelievable.

I open my eyes, unable to control my legs from shaking. I try to stop it, but I can't. Anderson strides to where the guards are standing, leaving me alone (finally). In the crowd of people, I'm able to make out Tomoyo and Eriol, both with anxious, disbelieving eyes. I love them. I always have loved them. I'll miss them so much.

Where's Touya?

I haven't even spoken to him yet. I can't go without talking to him one last time…

That stupid brother, where the hell is he?

I bite my lips as I watch the General raise his hand, signaling for the executioners to take aim. There is silence.

_Syaoran… _

I can't help but call his name inwardly.

_Syaoran…_

Tears begin to flood my eyes.

"Syaoran…" I whisper hoarsely. I feel the sobs coming out of my throat.

The General's hand rises even higher, and it's about to come down.

I'm going to die.

I shut my eyes tightly, wanting to die without tears.

_I don't want to die…_

Gunshots.

Screams.

More gunshots.

I wait. I wait for the pain to come. I wait for the darkness to come.

An alarm ringing loudly.

But it doesn't come. No pain, no lasting darkness.

Slowly I open my eyes, tears streaming down my face. Everyone's looking towards the Barastelle building. The alarm's been activated, meaning that there's Vampire in the Barastelle.

Vampire?

Syaoran…?

Anderson leads a group of Hunters into the building, and almost everyone follows. The General is hurrying towards the direction of his office, and the entire population is in disarray. In the midst of this chaos, I'm just trying to grasp the fact that I'm alive. I'm not dead. I'm alive.

Suddenly the ropes tying me become loose. I immediately turn around. "Syaoran?"

"How rude," says Touya, slightly smiling, "Don't compare me to that brat."

"Touya…" I trail off, leaping into my brother's arms. I am so relieved.

"Now, now, get a grip of yourself and start running," he grabs my hand and begins to run towards the opposite direction to which the crowd is headed. We're quickly shielded by trees and bushes from the crowd, and we run. My legs are moving in sync with Touya's, as if they're happy to be alive as well. My heart is beating wildly as we reach a side door out of the Barastelle.

"What's going on?" I ask, breathing heavily, "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm your brother, idiot," he raises his eyebrows, "Why else would I be doing this?"

I manage a smile. Then the smile turns into a grin, and the grin into a laugh. I laugh and wipe my tears, trying to shake off the last bit of fear. I'm alive. I'm alive and laughing.

As soon as we're outside the Barastelle's boundaries, we jump down towards the depression under the bridge. There's an air hover.

And Syaoran.

Oh my God.

My mind goes blank. I thought I'd never see him again. But here he is, standing before me with a wide grin, looking as healthy as ever.

I throw myself in his arms, laughing and crying. He holds me tightly, kissing my forehead. I hear Touya snorting in disapproval, but I don't care at the moment. It takes me a moment to calm myself down before pulling myself together.

I throw a punch at his face.

Syaoran and Touya both look bewildered. "What the hell was that for?" he looks incredulous.

"I told you to not come, you…" I can't find the right word to call him. I'm still too happy.

Syaoran laughs. "Technically, I didn't step into the Barastelle at all," he pauses, "But enough talking; we've got to get out of here."

I turn towards Touya, rushing to hug him. "Thanks," I manage to say. "Thanks" isn't nearly good enough, but it will do.

He smiles back before looking at Syaoran. "Take good care of her, you."

"I will," Syaoran steps towards him, shaking his hand.

"Let's get this over with," Touya sighs, "Sakura, get into the hover."

"What are you two up to?" I narrow my eyes.

"Oh, whatever. She can handle it," Syaoran shrugs, "Sorry for this, Commander."

"Shut up and do it before someone comes."

I nearly scream as Syaoran punches Touya in the face. He shoves him to the ground, throwing him around to create all kinds of bruises and cuts. Then he takes Touya's gun. "Goddamn it," Syaoran mutters before shooting my brother in the arm.

I watch in horror as my brother throws his head back into the ground, muffling his sounds of pain. I realize what they're doing. They've made it look as if Syaoran took me away, destroying the cameras and using gunshots to draw attention to the alarm before taking me. And to ensure my brother doesn't become a criminal, he has to look like Syaoran beat the hell out of him.

"If I get maimed or something, I'll tear you apart, Li," Touya murmurs, grabbing his bloody arm.

"No worries there; I'm the best aimer around," Syaoran smirks, throwing the gun to the ground, "Take care."

Understanding the reason for all of this, and knowing that we have to get out of here, I allow Syaoran to take my hand and lead me into the hover. Knowing that I won't see Touya for a long time, I throw away my pride and look at him. "I love you, Touya," I smile.

He manages a laugh before nodding. "I know," he replies.

Then the air hover takes off.

-

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**Chapter 7 – Execution – End –**

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I'm sorry for the increase of swear words in this chapter… but it was sort of necessary… I mean, wouldn't you cuss if you were going to be killed? Not only that, I've been reading a book with a LOT of swear words in it lately… haha…

As for the whole escape thing, I sort of did it in a rush… I wanted to prove that Touya's a good brother and I didn't want to make a clichéd plot of Syaoran rescuing her… More about this whole escape plan will be explained in the next chapter.

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	8. Chapter 8: Addiction

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** My apologies for an extremely delayed update. I'm busy with school these days… I will try to update a lot during the holidays, though :) Thanks for all those reviews, by the way. I enjoyed coming in to check on them :D

**So… Please read and review!** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 8 - Addiction**

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"A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous."

- _Ingrid Bergman_

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Sharp pains overtaking a greater one.

New afflictions molding into one explosion of aggression.

How poetic. Yet there is no better way to put this.

Anderson is mercilessly beating me. It's not like anything that's happened before. It doesn't seem to stop. I can't breathe. He shouts something at me, but I can't be sure what he's saying. Then I realize something.

My throat is bleeding. My scar is ripped open and bleeding profusely. The overwhelming metallic scent is sickening me. The blood on my hands aren't only my own. My eyes fall upon the still body before me.

Syaoran, dead.

Shot in the heart with the gun in my hands.

Anderson continuously beating me.

I can't breathe.

I'm suffocating.

"Sakura."

I'm going to die.

"Sakura!"

Help me…

"Get a hold of yourself!" Syaoran's voice breaks into me as I feel a hand slapping me hard across the face. The sting takes a moment to register into my senses until I can feel it. I gasp out loud and bolt upwards, only to crash into Syaoran's head. We both cringe backwards immediately, groaning and clutching our foreheads.

"You were having a nightmare – you kept writhing and crying out and everything," he says, his eyes narrowed from the collision.

It takes a while for me to calm down, holding his cold hand in mine, convincing myself that nothing happened. It was just a nightmare. "How long has it been since we left?" I take note of the fact that he dressed me out of that awful grey tunic and put one of his own shirts on me. "And thanks for taking off my clothes."

He smirks, "There's never anything to see," he dodges my punch, "And it's been a few hours. You fell asleep quite fast."

I sigh and pull him towards me with the neck of his shirt. "I was too worried about a certain someone to sleep peacefully at night," I pause, "Speaking of which, I haven't heard what you were up to since I've been gone." I let go of him and shift myself on the bed to give him room to sit, and Syaoran positions himself more comfortably beside me.

"The reason I didn't go mental yet is because I found some vampires to… hunt," he admits, "And obviously, I was the stronger one out of them."

"You were damn lucky to come across vampires," I whisper, the mention of drinking blood suddenly quickening my breaths. Oh no, this is embarrassing. I try to keep my eyes focused on him as he continues.

"Of course, I had the opportunity to order some extra-rare steak," he smirks, "Oh, and I managed to get us some nice illegal guns. They'll be shielded from scanners, of course."

"Excellent," I breathe deeply, "And how did you end up from New York to the Barastelle?" My body is tense, begging for an output. Begging for a bite.

"The trip from New York to San Francisco was fairly easy, with the spare ID cards and all. I admit that I was ready to barge into the Barastelle and take you," he smiles, "But your brother found me in your apartment and we formed our genius plan there. I also took the liberty of bringing some belongings of ours, and Commander Kinomoto lent us some money…" He trails off, noticing my trembling body, "What the hell's wrong with you?"

I gasp, unable to resist any longer. I grab the neck of my shirt and pull it to reveal my throat. Syaoran tenses, eyes suddenly unfocused from the nostalgic exposure.

"Bite me," I manage to whisper, cold sweat all over my body as it prepares itself.

Syaoran gives a short chuckle. "First drugs, now this?"

He deliberately brings his lips slowly to my throat, and I'm nearly hyperventilating. My fingers dig into his shoulders as I desperately try to pull him closer to me. A great rush of ecstasy and pain overwhelms me as he finally bites into my skin, drawing thick, red blood. It feels amazing – I can't believe I survived those days without being bitten by him. I realize how revolting I sound to myself, but I can't help but admit the fact that being bitten turns me on. I close my eyes, trying to keep my sanity. He's pressing me against the wall, pushing down the mattress further. I hear myself sigh, smelling my blood in the air. My breaths are returning to normal as my body gradually relaxes, molding itself against Syaoran. I swear I felt him smirk against my throat, but I can't be sure.

Maybe I'm imagining it, but I feel like with each bite, the next one becomes much more upscale than the one before. This can't be good.

After what seems like such a short moment, he draws back, wiping his mouth and pressing hard against my bleeding scar. He grants himself a little laugh, "Of all the things to be addicted to, Sakura."

"Don't deny the fact that you're also hooked on my blood," I smirk, feeling lightheaded from the blood loss. I allow myself to lean against him.

He rests his head on mine and laughs a bit more. A soothing sound. "I'll give you that."

I pull him into my arms, exhilarated. "I missed you, bastard."

"You better have," he replies, slapping my back.

-

-

I remember when I slept with Syaoran.

I remember when I slept with a lot of guys.

I was high or drunk all the time when that happened.

Just like Anderson said. Except, I do remember bits of it.

I'm not that innocent anymore. I can't go back to my innocent days, which seem like an eternity ago.

I don't understand entirely why Syaoran allowed himself to spend that night with me. He knew it was degrading, he knew I wasn't in the right state of mind. Was it because he couldn't resist his urges as a male? Was it just a male instinct that acted out on his part? Is that why Syaoran couldn't resist?

I remember how aggressive Syaoran was, as if he were hating himself for doing it. I remember how I wished that he would have stopped in between, just to prove that he cared for me more than I expected. But he didn't. He never kissed me. He just held me and drove into me to the point that I couldn't distinguish between pain and ecstasy.

Nothing changed after that night between us. At least in my eyes. He acted the same around me, so naturally, I did so too. To this day we never really spoke of that night.

I don't think either of us wants to admit that we submitted to our darkest desires that night.

-

-

As I begin to reminisce, I watch silently as Syaoran sleeps beside me, his chest falling up and down with each breath. A smile forms on my lips as I feel his arms tighten around me. I gaze at his slightly open mouth, leaning in closer and feeling his fangs with my finger. I trace the outline of his lips, which are chapped from biting into my skin.

I feel my heartbeat quicken. Is it the fangs or merely his lips? I grant myself a smirk for wondering. As if rebelling against that thought, I slowly bring my lips to his.

An innocent, yet not-so-innocent peck. And another.

I place my hand over my chest, counting the rapid rhythm. Hmm.

Maybe it's just the fact that I haven't been romantically involved with any guy, I've been sexually involved with them, as dirty as that may sound, but I have not truly had a normal relationship. I feel like my relationship with Syaoran is the closest thing I'll ever have to a "normal" romantic relationship. Although there is no "romantic" factor here. The thought of being_ romantic_ with Syaoran makes me grin in amusement.

True, we may be the best married couple if we were to marry, but I can't picture a romantic thing with him at this point. We're beyond "romance." We've got the mentor-student relationship and the brother-sister relationship in one bag, and all the while being classmates, colleagues, and so forth. We even had sex once. Our relationship's like a soup with a bunch of different ingredients, for a lack of better expression. I am not the most poetic person in the world.

I ponder about our relationship sometimes. How do you put my feelings towards him into words? If a wife feels "love" for her husband and a girlfriend feels "comfort" with her boyfriend, what do I feel for Syaoran? What is Syaoran to me?

My head is starting to hurt from the blood loss, and my eyes begin to close. As I give in to the slumber, I allow myself to recall that day when Syaoran and I first kissed.

-

**-**

**Two years ago…**

-

My heart hurts.

My head is ripping apart.

It's hard to breathe.

But I'm not that weak. I'm not weak enough to have to rely on this shit anymore.

With shaking hands, I grab the bag of drugs and tower over the toilet, huffing and coughing.

I can't let myself go downhill any longer.

The white powder escapes the bag. It sprinkles into the water like snow, dissolving from my sight within seconds. I watch with labored breathing as the bag is emptied. A part of me wants to desperately try to grab at the little powder left around the edges of the toilet. Pathetic.

A groan escapes my throat as the insides of my stomach flips over. I fall to my knees, grabbing the bowl, and start to hurl into it. I haven't eaten breakfast yet, so I'm basically throwing up water. Pathetic. How pathetic.

-

-

Amazingly, I get to class on time. And after class, Touya stopped me in the hall to examine my deathly pale face, frowning and demanding answers. I just shrugged him off and told him I was fine. He doesn't need to know that I'm having withdrawals when he nearly killed me after I confessed my addiction.

I think he blames himself for my addictions, since he has a duty as a Commander to live in the Barastelle during his working days and doesn't see me outside often.

As I feel a tight knot forming in my stomach, I angrily shove a piece of gum into my mouth, trying to drive it away. I slump down on the bench in the courtyard, watching the students move in and out of the library. I also take note of the fact that some of them give me second looks before turning to whisper in each other's ears. With a sigh, I rest my head against my knees, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Hey there," an unfamiliar voice calls out.

I tilt my head upwards. A stranger with blond hair. "Who are you?"

He leans down to meet my eyes. "Just another guy looking for a fun time," he winks.

Oh Lord. "Sorry, you've got the wrong person," I try to walk away from him, but he catches my arm.

"Don't be shy; I heard all about you from a friend of mine," he smirks, "He said that after a few drinks, you weren't so shy anymore."

I bite my lips, debating on whether or not if I should hit this guy or not. Before I can make up my mind, though, he begins to pull me towards the isolated rooms on the other side of the courtyard. Goddammit, he's impatient. I try to pull away, but his grip is tight. I think about screaming, but what good will that do? No one in this academy gives a damn about me.

They know me as a slut.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, blond boy?"

I whip around to see Syaoran standing in front of us, eyebrows raised and arms crossed. Oh boy.

"Syaoran Li," the blond blinks in recognition, "Why do you care?"

Syaoran scowls, stepping towards us dangerously. I see the blond flinch. "Do I need to have a reason to save a girl from the clutches of a pervert like you?"

I nearly laugh out loud at this.

The blond flushes a deep shade of red and retaliates, "Pervert, you say? You're one to talk! You're famous for-"

"Do you really want to finish that sentence?" Syaoran grabs him by the shirt with a smirk, "And I really don't want to be compared to some bastard like you!" he yells into his face.

I watch in amusement as the blond runs off, ready to piss in his pants. Syaoran turns to me dramatically, pulling me into a bear hug. "It's okay now, baby, the pervert's gone now."

I can't help but grin as I shrug away from him, "Whatever, I could have taken him on."

He scoffs, "Clearly."

We walk together in silence, our footsteps echoing in the deserted hallway. When we pass by a few doors and portraits, Syaoran stops us. When I turn towards him, he pushes me against the wall, gazing into my eyes. I raise my eyebrows in reply, struggling to keep my composure. He actually scared the crap out of me, but I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of that.

"You should try to remember, Sakura," he says seriously, placing a finger under my chin to tilt my face towards his. My eyes widen in surprise as I feel my heart beat faster. I watch as his face draws near to mine, in a deliberate slow manner. "Men are like wolves."

His lips meet mine.

I blink, mind going blank. His tongue smoothly slides into my mouth, exploring, teasing. My hands tighten into fists by my sides, unable to grab hold of him or the wall behind me. He tilts his head and kisses me deeper, and my eyes close automatically. Now I know why girls all want to die for him. I admit, he's a damn good kisser. Just as my own tongue begins to respond, though, he pulls away.

I breathe labouredly, hands immediately flying to my swollen lips.

Syaoran smirks, looking well at ease. "And remember that I'm one of them," he whispers into my ear, giving me one last peck.

That bastard.

I immediately flare up, "Did you have to go so far to prove your point?" I wipe away my lips, trying to regain control of myself.

He laughs and walks ahead of me. "You're just so cute like a baby, I couldn't resist."

It's a good thing his back was turned towards me, because I would have rather died than to let him see me blushing from his sudden kiss.

-

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My feet are cold.

I try to snuggle deeper into my blanket, but Syaoran whips it away from me entirely.

But I refuse to get off from bed, longing nothing more than to dwell in my warmth.

"Sakura Kinomoto," he yells into my ear, "Get the fuck off the bed!"

Suddenly I feel myself being lifted up into the air. My eyes dart open, only to meet Syaoran's face inches from mine. I frown, noticing that my shirt is only covering up to my stomach. "You lecher," I growl.

He responds my kissing me. I stay still, gazing into his eyes. The jerk doesn't even close them.

When he draws back, he smirks. "Mmm, morning breath."

I slap him across the face before hopping off of him.

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**Chapter 8 – Addiction – End –**

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**Author's Note: **Not too pleased with this chapter, seeing that the only thing I kept from my plans was the bite scene :( But it's an update :D

I meant to put another load of action into this chapter, but I felt as if this story deserved a slow-paced chapter… seeing that it's been relatively fast since it began. I hope you guys liked the fluffy scenes and memories though :D

So, Sakura and Syaoran's relationship has gotten even more uncovered… What haven't they done together, honestly? XD Anyways, with this, I think there won't be too many flashbacks anymore. Their relationship's been exposed completely.

Haha… expect a update soon, as the holidays are quickly approaching :D (and so are exams :()

**Please review to keep me going! **


	9. Chapter 9: Nightmare

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Guess what? I've made a C2 Community :D "【CCS】 Love Comedy"… Please join if you like CCS love stories XD Let me know if you have any recommendations for stories that should be added…

And as for the previous chapter, I admit it was jumping from place to place without transition… sorry about that :( It was mainly because I had originally planned an entirely different chapter, but ended up rewriting the whole thing with bits of scenes in my head.

**Please read and review!** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 9 - Nightmare**

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"You can close your eyes to things that you don't want to see,

but you can't close your heart to things you don't want to feel."

- _Anonymous_

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"Welcome to Detroit," a woman's voice calls out from the speakers above, jolting me awake. I bury my face in Syaoran's shoulder, trying to block out her voice. Syaoran snorts in amusement and ruffles my hair.

"Below the aircraft, you will see the Detroit International Riverfront and the Detroit River. From this point you can choose to board tour hovers that will take you to the Wayne State University, Penobscot Building, St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1001 Woodward and many other historical attractions," the woman continues on as the hover lands in the Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

Without warning, Syaoran hoists me over his shoulder and takes our bags, drawing much attention. I flush in embarrassment and rub my eyes awake. "I'm up, I'm up," I mutter. He smirks and lets me down. Couple people whisper and giggle.

We hop off the hover and blend in with the crowd, walking past the flashing advertisements and TV screens. Right now I'm sporting blond hair and blue eyes, and Syaoran has black hair and green eyes. He grabs my hand and pulls me closer to him, and I take in the high, white ceilings and the bright red trains and aircraft, smiling when I catch glimpses of wanted posters.

"Maybe we could catch a show at Fox Theatre and show you around the town," Syaoran says amusedly, noting how tourist-like I'm acting.

"Hey, it's my first time in Detroit, cut me some slack," I pout.

He chuckles and pushes my lips back in with a finger. "This crowd is impossible; you'd almost think that all of America was in this city," he scrunches up his face in distaste.

We escape the flow of people and squish ourselves in the elevator, going straight down onto the street. Before we decide on which direction to walk in, we get stuck in yet another flow of people. I watch in amusement as Syaoran growls in annoyance, eying the tall buildings in dismay. Soon he gets too impatient and pulls us away into an isolated alley away from them.

"Holy fuck," he scowls, "I'd rather walk through an alley full of shit than in that kind of crowd."

"You would, wouldn't you," I scrunch up my nose as I spot a rat travelling past.

Syaoran starts to walk down the alley and I follow, eyeing the pipes dripping with water and the dark corners full of garbage. "Honestly, Syaoran, we're not even going to get_ near_ a hotel if we keep going through this-"

Someone suddenly pushes me roughly to the ground. I yelp, taken completely off guard as I crash into the ground. I see Syaoran whip around in alarm. Who is it? I try to look up but my face gets smashed into the ground in return. Oh fuck. Is it an Agent? A Hunter? How the hell did they find us so quickly? My heart begins to race like mad, the side of my face stinging from the contact with the concrete.

"Let her go," Syaoran's voice drops dangerously like a machine gun.

"The bitch fucking stole something of ours!" a gruff voice replies from above me.

Huh?

"She_ fucking _did not. Get off of her," Syaoran says.

Way to play hero, Syaoran. You could have gotten the guy off of me yourself, you bastard. I scowl inwardly.

The guy reluctantly releases me and I turn around to face him and a group of gang members. Hell, after the entire ordeal with those Agents, these guys look like they'd be running around with unicorns and rainbows. My heart slows down to normal as I exhale deelply.

"She's not the one," one mutters, "Keep looking for that thief."

Without apologizing, they scurry off deeper into the alley.

I glare at Syaoran. "You're my new hero," I roll my eyes as he smirks.

"I wasn't going to break a sweat dealing with scum like them," he pulls me off the ground effortlessly. His hands remain holding mine for a second more than necessary, and I curiously meet his eyes. Before I can figure it out, though, his head turns sharply away from me. I watch in surprise as he suddenly tenses, frowning and looking around with caution.

"What is it?" I grimace, noting how his pupils have dilated.

"Blood," he pulls out his new illegal gun and activates it, "Follow me."

"Yessir," I mutter before following suit.

-

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This alley is the definition of ghetto.

I wrinkle my nose in disgust at the sight of a pack of rats feeding off of a pile of dump.

Syaoran is peeking over a stack of huge boxes, holding his nose and breathing through his mouth. He motions for me to come next to him. I carefully step over the puddles full of unidentifiable slosh. Using Syaoran's shoulders, I hoist myself upwards to look over the boxes, and when I see what's beyond them, I nearly gasp.

A young boy in his early teens is sitting against the wall, blood everywhere around him. His dark hair is clinging to his sweaty forehead as he breathes heavily, clenching both of his hands into fists.

I recognize a nasty tear in his throat that's similar to mine, except that it is a much more careless mark. Syaoran is still inhaling and exhaling with his mouth, sweating and periodically shutting his eyes. "Fuck," he whispers hoarsely. He suddenly grabs my shoulders and roughly pushes me against the wall, causing the bricks to stab my back.

I would have shouted if not for his wild, unfocused eyes.

My heart rate escalates dramatically as I watch him struggling to hold on to his self-control, battling his desires with his sensibility. My breath hitches in my throat.

"I brought something to clean your wound for now," a soft voice surprises us both, and we turn our attention beyond the boxes.

A girl quietly kneels down beside the boy, holding out several bottles of beer. He gives a dry chuckle, "Where did you get these?"

She gives a reluctant grin, "That doesn't matter; since you're too stubborn to go to a hospital, I had to find something to clean you up."

"If I went to a hospital, I'd be arrested on the spot. You know that," he sighs, wincing as she wipes some of the dry blood off of his neck.

Syaoran tugs at my shirt. "Let's go," his voice is coarse from the self-restraint.

"But these kids…" I trail off, deactivating my gun.

"We can't help them. He's a new vampire and he's dangerous. We can't get involved in every situation like this," he shudders, "And I'm about to lose all control over myself here."

I sigh and follow him, unable to stop myself from glancing back at the couple who sadly reminds me of ourselves.

-

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As soon as we're in a hotel room, Syaoran literally pounces on me, ripping my shirt entirely off. Goosebumps rise on my skin as his cold hand sweeps across my collarbone and onto my neck, pushing me down to the carpet beneath him. My blond wig slips off of me as I hit the floor. I wince at the impact and try to brace myself.

But this is completely different from before.

It's not like any other times he's bitten into me.

Syaoran doesn't hesitate or tease; he just ferociously bites into me, completely missing the usual spot. His fangs rip another scar into my skin, his hands tightening dangerously around my neck. I cry out. His lower body is painfully trapping mine, pinning me so close beneath him that I have almost no room to breathe.

For the first time in my life, I begin to fear Syaoran.

I begin to truly acknowledge the fact that he's a vampire.

"Syaoran…" I breathe, desperately clutching at his shirt. I feel a rapid flow of blood escaping from my throat, beginning to see white dots everywhere. My hands begin to claw into his chest, and he shocks me by grabbing them and pinning them down over my head. Syaoran's other hand is on my chest, as if wanting to rip my bra off of me. I become increasingly aware of my bare upper body, a distant memory of a similar situation invading my mind.

He's turned on.

Not by our positions, but by the blood.

To my horror, Syaoran's hand trails down my stomach, and... Oh my God. My breaths quicken even more as I hear the unzipping of my jeans. I barely feel them being slipped off of me because of the overwhelming terror. His hand is now lingering at my hips, threatening to strip me naked any moment. A protesting moan escapes my throat, digging his fangs deeper into it. His fingers are dangerously close to... My trail of thoughts end abruptly as I realize something.

I'm completely submissive to him right now. No, that doesn't exactly cut it.

I've completely become his prey. I'm less than human in his eyes right now.

The room is full of my heavy breathing and the smell of blood.

I begin to scream, and my body instinctively begins to retaliate. My legs are desperately kicking at Syaoran, my seized hands straining against his iron grip. I watch as my knuckles turn white. It doesn't even faze me when Syaoran draws back slightly, because the next second, he's biting into the other side of my throat. My entire body jolts up against his at the new affliction, blood steadily flowing out of the fresh wound. With each gulp from him, my strength drains out with it.

'_If I ever go permanently insane, will you pull the trigger on me?'_

Syaoran's voice echoes in my head as my eyes begin to water.

'_If I attack you, will you kill me?_'

His body is pressing hard against mine, and I sense true danger and fear. I give a loud sob.

'_If I do, I want you to kill me.'_

How could I kill him? I won't be able to live on if he's gone. I'd rather just die a miserable death right here and now.

"Syaoran…" I whisper, tears pouring out of my eyes. "I can't kill you… so, please," my body goes limp, "Stop it…"

Syaoran's body suddenly flinches violently as if an electric current was shot into him, painfully crashing down against me.

My tears run freely as he throws himself off of me, releasing me from his death grip. His hands immediately fly to my face and throat, one attempting to stop the blood flow while the other trembles against my cheek, wiping away the tears. I unconsciously murmur words that I can't hear myself. They feel so familiar, but I can't make out what I'm saying. Syaoran freezes, agony flashing across his tormented face.

Then everything goes pitch black.

-

-

If I die right now, how would Syaoran feel?

Would he feel more guilt than loss?

Would he feel more loss than guilt?

How will he react?

How will he keep running?

How will my death affect him?

Maybe if my dying makes him only think about me for the rest of his life, whether it be because he misses me or because he's guilty, it wouldn't be so bad after all.

If he only looks at me as a result of my death, maybe it would be worth it.

Maybe with my death, Syaoran can become solely mine, and I can become solely his.

Maybe I'm just going mental.

-

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"Sakura…"

My entire body is numb.

"I won't forgive myself if you don't get up right now."

I want to open my eyes, but my eyelids refuse to comply.

"Wake up," Syaoran's breath warms my ear, "Please."

My hand twitches in his, and I hear him inhale sharply.

I try to turn my head, but a moan escapes my mouth instead.

I feel Syaoran leaning closer to me, and I can almost see his anxious face.

"Sakura?"

My eyes still refuse to open, but I can still picture his expression. I feel my lips jerking into a painful smile.

I can't help but flinch when his hands suddenly grab my face, taking me by surprise when I feel his lips against mine. In response, my eyes slowly open, but I immediately close them again when my head begins to spin.

Syaoran pulls me fiercely into his arms, burying his face against my hair. "I'm sorry," he whispers, "I'm sorry."

My senses begin to restore themselves and I'm just barely able to reply. "You full now?"

My attempt at a joke causes him to fall silent. "I'm sorry," he repeats, "I think I was exposed to too much blood to be able to repress myself…"

I nod, raising my hand behind his back and noting how pale it is. "It was interesting," I manage.

"I thought I killed you… you don't know how fucking scared I was, Sakura," he breathes, attempting to control his shaking voice, "I don't know what I would have done if you…"

"All that matters is that I'm not dead," I pull him closer, pain and numbness both overwhelming me as I begin to feel my blood loss. "And don't you dare torture yourself for one mistake." His hand caresses my bandaged throat, raising my pulse rate.

"You should have shot me," he closes his eyes, "You could have died."

"Fuck you," I growl as threateningly as I can in my situation, "Me shooting you is the same as you giving me drugs; it's never going to happen. I don't know how clearer I can make it for you."

Syaoran gazes into my eyes, and I momentarily feel his pain. Almost unconsciously, I reach out and touch his face, not breaking the gaze as I bring my lips to his. Our lips meet, our mouths staying still and our eyes searching each other's. I feel his emotions at the contact; sorrow, grief, fear, relief… I give up to my fatigue and allow my eyes to close.

I feel Syaoran's tongue slowly sliding past my parted lips, brushing against my own. I taste the metallic blood, and feel a tight knot forming in my stomach. Syaoran's embrace tightens as the kiss deepens, and my tongue scrapes against his fangs, ripping open a little cut. Soon both of our mouths are full with the taste of blood, and I only pull away when my lungs begin to ache from the lack of air.

The room is silent except for our labored breathing.

A grin forms on my face, "You horny bastard."

Syaoran responds with a smirk followed by laughter… soothing laughter that eases my pain.

-

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It takes a couple of days for me to recover.

Syaoran was undeniably shaken by the recent incident, but fortunately he hasn't brought it up again.

He probably was scared he had violated me in a degrading way again, but he couldn't bring himself to ask.

During one of my bedridden days, I persuaded him to go check upon the teenage couple we saw when we first arrived in Detroit. When he returned, he had a bitter smile on.

"He killed her," he said, "Drained her out entirely… and I shot him." His lips twitched as he tossed his gun on a table and went to take a shower.

I could have been killed miserably like that when Syaoran attacked me. He could have killed me. But it's as if the fear I felt that night has been flushed away. I don't care anymore.

"It's getting cold," I blow into the air, watching my breath take form. We're waiting for our next air hover in an outdoor café, since the inside is too crowded.

"Take a look at this," Syaoran throws me a copy of the newspaper he's been reading.

""Mass murdering vampire kills a family of five…"" I read, examining the picture of a male dark hair and startlingly red eyes. It's extremely rare for a vampire to have such peculiar eyes, but it's been heard of. I've come across only one in my entire career, and he was one hell of one to catch. "Leonard Rickman… He looks pretty dangerous… You should go get him, Syaoran," I smirk as he scowls at me.

Syaoran's eyes suddenly dilate, his posture stiffening as I hear footsteps behind me. I notice the people in the café aren't paying any attention to outside, yet I still feel uneasy. Syaoran places his coffee cup on the table and slowly reaches into his jacket.

"Do you really want to do that, Syaoran?" a dreadfully familiar voice drawls from behind me, causing me to flinch.

Before I can confirm my fear, though, a hand startles me by stroking my bandaged throat. Shivers run up my body, my heart skipping a beat.

Syaoran audibly growls. "Get your filthy fingers off of her, vampire."

"Aren't you one yourself?" an unrecognizable male voice says from behind me, and I slowly look up.

It's Leonard Rickman… and Stella. The bitch who bit Syaoran.

The male vampire is wearing a suit and a pair of sunglasses to cover his unusual eyes and caressing my throat. He lowers his glasses and winks at me, overwhelming me with a dreadful feeling with those blood red eyes…

"Fuck you! Step away from her before I blow your head off!" Syaoran bolts up from his chair, a moment away from losing his cool.

"I understand why you're agitated," Leonard says coolly with a smirk, "Stella over here is too tempting for you to resist completely. You want her blood, don't you?"

I stare at Stella. Syaoran wasn't angry because Leonard was touching me? Something begins to throb inside me, although I don't know what it is. She gives me a smile worthy of a celebrity's, tossing her platinum blond hair and stroking Leonard's hair.

"Why would you think that?" Syaoran glares at him, avoiding Stella's gaze and mine.

"There is an unmistakable bond between a half-vampire and his maker," Leonard says nonchalantly, as he's discussing the weather, "In other words, there is a connection between you and Stella that compels you to crave for each other's blood."

This new information throws me off completely, causing me to bolt up from my chair. They all stare at me in mild surprise, including Syaoran. My face contorts with anger and fury as I storm up to Stella and slap her.

Leonard gives an amused chuckle while Syaoran continues to stare at me.

"How dare you…" I hiss, "How dare you do this to Syaoran…" I grab her by the front of her shirt, ready to pull the trigger on her. "I'll kill you."

"I'd like to see you try, Little Miss Hunter," she looks straight at me, "But then again, you're not a Hunter anymore, are you?"

"Miss Sakura, that'll be all from you today," Leonard's arm snakes around my waist and pulls me into his arms, preventing me from hitting her one more time and protruding an angry protest from Syaoran. Stella scoffs and fixes her shirt.

"Let go of me," I glare into his eyes, ignoring the terrifying sensation running through me.

"I must say, I rather like this position," he whispers.

To my uttermost horror, he kisses my lips.

"You've crossed the line, you son of a bitch," Syaoran whips out his gun and begins shooting at him.

That idiot!

I quickly draw back and start shooting at Stella.

They both avoid the bullets with ease, looking around to see the screaming crowd. "Leo, I think we should get going," Stella says amusedly.

"I quite agree, dear," Leonard holds her around the shoulder. "Pleasure meeting you both; hope to see you again soon."

Before we can do anything about it, they jump high onto the roof of the café, disappearing from view within seconds. I glare at Syaoran. "You idiot."

He flicks me on the forehead in reply. "You were getting molested by some murderer. Be grateful I ended it before you got raped."

I roll my eyes. "We better get out of here. The bounty hunters and police will be arriving anytime now." The people are still screaming and pointing at us like we're psychopaths. I smile bitterly.

Syaoran lifts me up into his arms with ease and jumps into the air, shedding our wigs and heading towards the air hover station when we're out of sight.

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**Chapter 9 – Nightmare – End –**

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**Author's Note**: Wow. Long chapter.Sakura and Syaoran undeniably treasure each other more than themselves. To them, kissing each other is just another gesture of expressing their feelings to each other… they don't recognize it as being romantic… yet. :) Just wanted to point that out in case it wasn't clear… but you may have realized that they're kissing much more often than in the beginning of the story. (hint hint)

…and Leonard, the new vampire, did NOT turn out like I planned him. I PLANNED to make him a really flirty playboy, but instead he turned into something like a flirty English gentleman. Maybe I'll improve as I continue to write about him… (sigh)

Anyways, 2008 is approaching quick… It's been half a year since I started this story. Wow.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

**Please review to keep me going! **

And I hope you join my community :D


	10. Chapter 10: Human

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Right now I'm listening to a Japanese song, "Only Human," by Korean singer K… and it's getting me in the mood to write this chapter! XD It also became sort of the inspiration for the chapter title :)

**Please read and review!** Reviews encourage me to write on:D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 10 - Human**

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"Something passes before your eyes, and it must be seized quickly or it is lost."

_- Gustave Flaubert _

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I'm dying.

"I want all of you," Syaoran's rough voice breathes into my ear.

I'm completely naked before him; my clothes have been carelessly torn into pieces.

"Stop it," I cry out, able to do nothing as Syaoran bites yet another place on my throat.

A sharp, lasting pain threatens to devour me. I feel as if I'm going to drown in my own blood.

It's making me sick.

His hands are sliding up my legs… and I feel nothing but fear and grief. My fists are pounding against his bare chest, but all of my energy is getting drained out at the same time. Then, faintly, I feel something being slipped into my hand. Warily, I turn my heavy lidded gaze to it.

It's a gun. Fully activated and ready to kill.

"What are you waiting for, Miss Sakura?" Leonard is leaning against a shadowed wall, watching us in amusement. "The fellow is absolutely out of control."

"I'd gladly switch places with you," taunts Stella, "And I'm sure he'd prefer that."

My lips begin to tremble. Syaoran wordlessly stares at me, his eyes blank with bloodlust.

"Shut up!" I scream. "Shut up!!" I scream and scream and scream.

-

I bolt straight upwards, eyes wide open and breaths ragged. Cold sweat is mingling with real sweat, causing the sheets to cling to my skin. Mumbled sounds reach my ears, allowing me to slowly return to reality. I turn warily to the figure lying down beside me on the bed.

Syaoran looks over at me, looking mildly surprised. "Oh, was the TV too loud for you? My bad." He shrugs and turns back to the news.

I clutch my head to get a grip of myself. It was a dream. It was just a dream.

As I wake up fully, the sound of the TV finally processes through my brain and irritates my ears. My head snaps towards Syaoran in annoyance, debating on whether to yell at him or kick his vulnerable ass off the bed. I decide on the latter, and my partner kisses the wooden floor the next second.

Ducking as he hurls various objects at me, I retreat to the bathroom and lock the door, smiling at his loud swearing and cursing.

It was just a dream.

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After breakfast, we head out into the city of Philadelphia, masquerading as an Asian couple with black hair and brown eyes. We blend into the crowds of tourists and busy people striding about the streets. His hand closes around mine protectively, eyes periodically glancing from here to there in caution.

"We really need to come up with more creative disguises…" Syaoran mutters in displeasure of his plain disguise. "I almost feel sorry for all these people, having to miss out on my good looks."

"Oh, shut up," I roll my eyes in disgust, "And define 'creative.' Would it include purple hair and yellow eyes or something?"

"'Creative' would be sticking a moustache onto your damned face and turning you into a mid-aged man," he sniggers boyishly. I decide to ignore him.

Noticing the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, I come to a halt. Syaoran looks back at me, trying to pull me away. As I begin to walk towards it, I earn a maniacal laughter from Syaoran. People give us strange looks, and I nervously give them a smile.

"Get a grip of yourself!" I hiss at Syaoran, who is bent over from laughter.

"You think I'm allowed in there? Maybe they'll still have you, after a full-out cleansing ceremony and shit," he smirks in disdain. "You'll probably be baptized over and over again and sent off to a nunnery, while I'm handed over to an exorcist… Just make sure you don't mention your previous affairs to the priests," he adds with a grin.

"Oh, shut up," I grab his arm and begin leading him towards the steps, "We both attended church almost regularly after we entered the Barastelle. That practically makes up for all the huge sins we're committing these days."

He lets out another bark of laughter, only to be glared at by some nun. "Fine, I guess I'll just ask for forgiveness, guidance and all the usual things. Not that it would do me any good."

His statement stings my heart for some reason. He's just being stupid as always, yet it hurts me to hear it from his mouth. Ignoring the throbbing sensation, I sigh and give another tug at his hand.

We enter the cathedral, passing by a great crowd of excited tourists. I marvel at the ornate flooring and columns, taking in the high ceilings and the ancient architecture. Past several candles and majestic portraits, we see curtains leading into private confessionals. I grimace at the thought of Anderson sitting behind the window, waiting to blackmail Syaoran and me by getting us to admit our sins. I make a sardonic grin as I picture the cynical Agent dressed in holy white robes.

Syaoran leads us to a room full of benches facing an immense, antique cross. We take a seat in a nearby bench, careful not to disturb anyone's prayers. At least, I was careful… Syaoran just carelessly slumped down on the church like a delinquent boy who was forced to come to church by his parents. A small smile etches across my face as I take a sweeping look around the room to make sure we're not being watched. There's no one praying in here except for a few elderly and some tourists.

So I distance myself a little from Syaoran, bow my head and put my hands together. "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned," I try to make the words as quiet as possible. But I feel uncomfortable speaking my prayer out loud (possibly because Syaoran snorted when he heard me), so I revert to saying them inside my head.

'_I know I haven't exactly acted as a good Christian should these days… Well, that's an understatement. I have been terrible. But am I to refuse Syaoran from biting into me and let him go insane? Am I sinning by trying to help him?_' I pause, realizing that I haven't closed my eyes yet. But I leave them open and continue, staring up at the cross. '_You know all this, but I'm gonna say it anyways: Syaoran's too important to me. I can't just leave him to die a meaningless death, even if You throw me in Hell for it,_' I shudder at the thought of eternal damnation, '_But I really hope You aren't that merciless… Let me rephrase that: I really hope You're merciful to me. And Syaoran. I pray that You will protect us from everyone who's trying to kill us out there. And I pray that You will deliver the right punishment to Anderson. And that You'll end all this mess not too late… In Your name I pray,_' I inhale. "Amen."

I look around at Syaoran, realizing that he's been done praying for quite some time. He's staring at me, looking quite comfortable on the wooden bench. I wonder what he prayed about. But when I meet his eyes, images of his ferocious attack on me flash by in my mind. I swallow hard and force myself to smile, signaling that I'm done.

"Aren't you just the Saint," Syaoran muses loudly, receiving reproachful glares from all around. He smirks as I grin, getting up from the bench. "Let's get out of this place before the nuns decide to murder me with their rosaries."

"Maybe you'll disintegrate into ashes and flame?" I giggle, holding his hand and glancing back at the large cross. For a brief moment, I beg God not to take this person away from me. I beg him not to make things so that I have to choose between his life and mine once more.

Because if that time comes once more, I don't know what I'll be forced to do.

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Immediately upon our exit, Syaoran and I get scolded by a group of nuns for causing a commotion in the cathedral. His mouth was twitching the entire time, and by the time we ran away from them, we both burst out laughing. It must have been quite a sight; an Asian couple laughing hysterically while holding hands and running down the street.

It's always been like this; we cause trouble together then run away laughing our heads off.

I like it… It's_ our_ moment.

When we calm down a little, we head into a coffee shop where we decide to go over our budget and discuss our possible destinations.

"I want to go to Europe," I slurp my coffee, "It's so much more fun there."

"European Vampires are too horny. We're not going," Syaoran smirks.

"I can't believe you just said that!" I laugh, still feeling hyper from our trouble with the nuns, "Besides, you're worse than all of them… You're the number one womanizer."

"Proud to be," he says smugly, "Anyways, about our finances…"

"Can't you just keep it to yourself?" I groan, "Numbers aren't going to process through my head."

He chooses to ignore me. "We could try to capture some wanted criminals or Vampires or something," he suggests, "There are tons of wanted posters with adequate rewards."

"You mean, become bounty hunters?" my lip curls into a smirk, "Will we ever escape this "hunter" title?"

"Shut up," he scowls, "It's good money and exercise, seeing as the only exercise we get these days are the occasional run-ins with the Baratelle and Vampires."

"It's a possibility," I sigh, "I just hope we don't get recognized while turning in these criminals."

While Syaoran makes some calculations (that he smartly doesn't trust me with), I sip my cappuccino and look around the lively crowd, making sure no one is out to get us. Everyone's so carefree. Everything seems so bright. So alive. At least, they look it. They're laughing and chatting, flirting and holding hands. I let out a small sigh. Only if our lives were less complicated.

At that moment, Syaoran suddenly grabs his head in his hands and doubles over. I nearly drop my cup in alarm, placing my hands on his shoulders. "Goddammit," he whispers coarsely. His breaths are heavy as he looks up at me with dilated eyes.

He wants blood.

A chill runs through me when he grabs at his heart, as if it's hurting him. Is he having an attack? I want to make a joke, just to try and lighten up the suddenly dark atmosphere, but nothing comes to mind.

"Syaoran?" I call out tentatively instead, unsure of what to do.

His face is contorted with pain. It's so sudden… My hand presses against his chest, feeling his dangerously rapid heartbeats. It's as if his own heart is turning on him, threatening to kill him. It hurts me to see him like this. Without thinking, I grab his hand, quickly pulling him towards the bathroom. He's getting dragged along by me, meaning that he's definitely not in his best condition. I kick open the nearest door, which just happens to be the men's. A shocked male turns towards us as I check for any feet under the stalls.

"Get out," I say as threateningly as possible. The guy silently obeys, looking at us strangely and debating if he should call for someone or not. He better not, or he'll be sorry he was ever born.

I lock the door and approach Syaoran, who's sweating and clutching his heart.

"It fucking hurts," he breathes, "It's nothing like other cravings… this… is like an attack…"

I'm about to take my shirt off, but I hesitate before doing so. I keep remembering how savagely Syaoran bit into me, ripping off my pants and ready to violate me. I don't want to call it "violating" as much as I don't want to call it "rape." I don't want to think about it. It was the scariest moment of my life, perhaps even scarier than when Syaoran was bitten by Stella. I open my mouth and shut it again. I take a reluctant step towards him, trying to control my emotions.

He needs me.

_He attacked me._

He's in pain.

_He made me suffer._

He needs me.

_He wants my blood._

I try to clear my mind, trying to recall all the times he saved me. Syaoran leans heavily against the wall, finally turning his gaze on me. Meeting his eyes, I slowly peel off my shirt and walk up to him. I try to ignore my increasing heart rate. I break away from the gaze and push back my hair, trying to prepare myself.

I flinch when he reaches out for me.

My hand flies to my mouth in horror as I see the immediate hurt understanding on his face. He knows I'm afraid. A tense silence fills the room, and I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

I'm afraid of Syaoran.

Since when am I afraid of Syaoran?

How the hell did things turn out like this?

"I'm sorry," I whisper, placing a hand on his face. He closes his eyes, breathing deeply and still clutching his heart.

I'm scared, but I don't want to see him in pain.

I'd rather be scared to death than to watch him suffer.

I move my hand and gently open his mouth, and he opens his eyes to see what I'm up to. Bringing my other hand up, I cut my palm open with his deadly fangs. His eyes widen in shock and he jerks back against the wall, horrified of what I've done. I don't even wince at the stinging sensation. My attention is focused solely on him. As always.

Blood drips onto the floor. For a moment, I'm in awe of how beautiful it is. So red, so thick.

I've definitely turned into a masochist. Or I'm suffering from a mental disease.

I bring Syaoran's head down to meet my hand, watching his beautiful eyes surrender. His tongue slowly cleans the trail of the red substance before he covers the cut with his mouth. I shiver at the tingling, silently exciting situation. Closing my eyes, I rest my head against his shoulder, feeling his body gradually relax. My free arm wraps around him, trying to comfort him from his torn mind.

'_God,_' I pray silently in my head, '_I don't want him to suffer. Give me all of his pain. Let him live as he allowed me to… let me suffer in his place. I've already been as messed up as I can be, but he's so much more than that. He deserves more than this_.' Tears are threatening to escape my eyes. '_Free Syaoran from his pain. Please._'

Only if I hadn't met him…

Only if I hadn't let myself be with him…

If I hadn't been so selfish to pull him into my corrupted life, he wouldn't be suffering like this. He would have been smiling and laughing, loving a gorgeous girl and enjoying his title as the number one Hunter. I took it all away from him. I brought him down with me.

I don't deserve him.

My heart begins to ache. My eyes throb as tears flow out. When Syaoran releases my hand, I fall to the floor, trying to stop crying. But when he kneels down in front of me, asking me what's wrong, I throw myself into his arms and start to sob.

"I'm sorry," I clutch his shirt, "I'm sorry…"

Syaoran silently embraces me, kissing my hair. This affectionate gesture overwhelms my heart even more, adding on to the throbbing pain. As his hands capture my face and wipes away my endless tears, a realization floods into me like the natural waves of the sea. It's as if it's been there all along.

_I love him more than anything else in the world._

My sobs come to an abrupt halt at this thought.

_I love him._

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**Chapter 10 – Human – End –**

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**Author's Note**: Gahahahahah. A cliffhanger-sort-of-end:) …And yes, I just had to ruin Sakura and Syaoran's happy moments by giving Syaoran an attack. I'm mean, I know. BUT, because of it, Sakura FINALLY acknowledges that she loves Syaoran! (says the writer who made their relationship like this) …but of course, there is a BUT factor. To be revealed next chapter… I really meant to hold off Sakura's acknowledgement until later, but it just slipped off of my fingers as I typed. Literally. Kind of creepy. Not only that, this chapter didn't turn out as I expected, either. I just came up with everything as I typed, except for the cathedral part...

It should also be noted that when Leonard calls Sakura "Miss Sakura," he's sort of saying it like "Sakura-san." Most of you should know that the suffix "san" in Japanese is loosely translated to "Mr" or "Ms," but not quite. It should also be noted that the author is Christian and therefore she is not trying to insult the religion or any other beliefs related to it (Catholic, Roman Catholic, etc) by putting in sarcastic comments said by the characters…

And sorry for the long prayer. I just thought it'd be interesting and ironic to have the two praying when they're associated with vampirism, something very contradictory to the religion.

Arg. Exams are right around the corner… and a new semester short after. Expect an update at the end of January or start of February… (my birthday is coming up…!) And to all others expecting exams, best of luck.

**Please review to keep me going! **

And I hope you join my community :D


	11. Chapter 11: Heartbeat

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Relatively quick update! Actually, it's one of the fastest updates I've had recently. :P

So, Sakura acknowledged the fact that she loves Syaoran… REMEMBER, in the chapter with Syaoran's POV, he said that Sakura deserves someone better than him… Anyone catch the implications here:) This chapter is the result of me procrastinating and trying to kill off some of the boredom I had when I should have been studying for exams… So, enjoy, and please review.

**Please read and review! **Reviews encourage me to write on :D

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ஐ** Vampire Hunter **ஐ

**Chapter 11 - Heartbeat**

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"The proof of true love is to be unsparing in criticism."

_- Moliere _

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My fingers trace the line of Syaoran's face as he sleeps, breathing evenly and quietly.

A smile forms on my face as he mumbles something and buries his face in his pillow, letting out a deep sigh of content.

I leave him alone and decide to go for a walk, grabbing my jacket and closing the hotel door behind me. As I walk through the hallway, I begin to recall the most recent events.

I'm glad he fell asleep so soon. It was very awkward after the scene in the bathroom last night…

-

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"_I'm sorry," I clutch his shirt, "I'm sorry…"_

_Syaoran silently embraces me, kissing my hair. This affectionate gesture overwhelms my heart even more, adding on to the throbbing pain. As his hands capture my face and wipes away my endless tears, a realization floods into me like the natural waves of the sea. It's as if it's been there all along._

I love him more than anything else in the world.

_My sobs come to an abrupt halt at this thought._

I love him.

_Syaoran stares at me curiously, as if trying to read my mind. I immediately become aware of my bare upper body, and flustering, I hastily grab my shirt. I feel his eyes on me as I slip it on, and I feel my heartbeats increase dramatically. What the hell is wrong with me? It's not like it's the first time I was topless in front of him. _

_Just by thinking those stupid three words, I'm acting like a thirteen-year old having her first crush._

_Syaoran opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by loud banging on the door. _

"_Please open up," a man calls out, "Or we will have to call the police!"_

_Syaoran sighs and reaches out to clean my neck. I immediately blush under his touch, and quickly so I bend down in pretense of wiping the floor._

_Oh my God. I'm pathetic._

-

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In the elevator, I take a look at my reflection in the mirror. I took off my contacts because they were irritating my eyes, thus revealing my true emerald shade. I raise a hand to my neck, where there is a noticeable and vicious scar of two deep holes. I also have a few irregular bite marks from when Syaoran lost control. I feel exasperated. I'm going to carry these scars all my life.

The elevator comes to a halt, and I stride through the lobby and exit out through the back door. I step out into an isolated alley where the hotel keeps the empty storage boxes and broken furniture. There's not even a cat around here. What I wouldn't give for a cigarette right now.

I watch my breath turn in to a cloud as it escapes my mouth, disappearing after a few seconds. It smells like winter. The crisp and fresh air chills the tip of my nose, causing me to rub it for warmth.

Something's definitely wrong with me.

It's not the first time I thought I "loved" Syaoran.

I've had a crush on him for a while after becoming friends with him, and it intensified after he kissed me, but I figured he'd never reciprocate my feelings. So I ignored it.

Then there was that one-night stand we had… which was damn mind-blowing. I remember getting butterflies in my stomach for a while after that night whenever he touched me.

There are so many incidents and memories I share with Syaoran that I don't even know to what extent I love him. Of course I _love_ him, but in what way? I don't completely understand what it is to truly love someone other than in a family-like way. I've never had real or serious romantic relationships (most of them being sexual and all), and even my relationship with Touya was strained for some time.

I feel like I destroy everyone and thing I come in contact with.

I sigh and walk among the scattered bits of furniture, leaning against the brick walls.

I wish someone could answer all my confusions.

I want to be able to recognize my own feelings and admit them.

"Why, what do we have here?" a sudden voice causes me to jump. "Isn't it Miss Sakura Kinomoto."

Leonard Rickman jumps down from the shadows of the buildings surrounding us, looking at me casually as if we were discussing the weather.

"Are you following us?" I snarl, trying to find an easy escape.

"I'd call it fate, if you will," he says conversationally, "Stella and I split up for some hunting, and I was just drawn to this place."

"Liar," I breathe, watching his red eyes fix onto my form. I'm petrified as he nears me, trapping me in between his arms by placing both hands on the wall on my either side. His dark hair sways in the wind as he lifts a hand, causing me to flinch.

He chuckles in cruel amusement. "Now, now, don't be afraid. I don't bite," he smiled smugly, "Or rather, if I do, I promise you'll enjoy it."

"You disgust me," my voice fails me as his hand strokes my neck. Damn these Vampires and their seductiveness. It's making my skin tingle everywhere.

"Your actions tell me otherwise," his hand stops as he examines my throat. "These scars are revolting," he clicks his tongue, "If it were me, I'd have tried my best to not leave a mark on your pretty neck."

My breath hitches in my throat as he brings his lips to my scars. I feel his tongue deftly soothing the breaks in my skin, raising goosebumps everywhere. To my horror, I feel myself _lusting_ for this guy. I try to close the space in between my legs, but his own leg is preventing me from doing so. I glance down at him, only to meet his strikingly crimson eyes, the colour of blood itself… Despite its eeriness, it's beautiful. He is gorgeous.

This is a true Vampire. Dangerously beautiful in the most forbidden way.

To my immense embarrassment, a sound escapes my throat. Leonard smirks against my skin, and I have an urge to just surrender. He sees this and decides to taunt me. "You do know that if I bite into you now," he breathes, "You'll become a Vampire yourself?"

I remain silent, feeling every inch of my self-control slip away.

His hand caresses my arm as he whispers, "Soon, Syaoran will want more of you. He'll take more and more of your blood, until you're completely drained."

A chill channels through my body, awakening every single sense. Vivid images of Syaoran losing control plays over and over again in my head.

"I presume Syaoran had a fit last night? He nearly lost control, didn't he? It's going to get worse. He needs much more blood from you than he's allowing himself," he whispers, and I freeze in shock. "Soon, he won't be able to keep a hold of himself. He will surrender to his instincts and bite you ferociously," he caresses my scars, "Perhaps snapping your pretty neck before drinking every single drop of your blood."

I notice how his pupils have dilated, causing his crimson eyes to appear like an animal's.

"Wouldn't you rather become a Vampire yourself than to be brutally murdered like that?" asks Leonard, gazing intensely into my eyes.

"You just want to drink my blood then sleep with me, don't you?" I ask coolly, suddenly understanding his motives.

He smirks. "I admit, that is a very appealing situation, yes."

"Fuck you," I scowl.

"Yes, please," he chuckles.

Before I can retort, he covers my mouth with his with such intensity that it throws me off balance. He captures me in his hold, thrusting his tongue past my lips and roughly exploring. I feel another moan from myself, my instincts telling me to back off right now while other senses of my body tell me to be submissive.

Leonard seems to sense this internal battle within me, because he begins to slide his hand up my leg suggestively. His other hand is trailing up my back, locking me in his arms. My God, I can't think coherently.

The only thing that jerks me back into reality is the image of Syaoran's face playing over and over again in my mind. I use all my might to force my swollen lips away from his, breathing coarsely and glaring at him.

"Too bad for you," I push him off of me, furiously wiping my mouth, "I would rather be killed by Syaoran than to be bitten by the likes of you."

""The likes of me"?" he laughs, well at ease, "You forget, love, that your beloved Syaoran is included in that category!"

"Syaoran is Syaoran," I grit my teeth, "He's more than you'll ever be."

"Is that so," Leonard smirks once more. "You know I don't exactly need your consent in order to bite you."

"Then you wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of talking to me, would you? You want me to surrender myself to you freely," I return the crooked smile. Although inside, I'm trembling with fear, desire and ambivalence.

"Very clever," he chuckles, "May I ask you one thing, then?"

"You're going to ask anyways," I mutter.

"What is Syaoran to you?"

I look blankly at him. Memories flash through my mind, and I try to make sense of them. "That's none of your business," I say coldly.

"Then why is it that you seem guilty for kissing me? You are not lovers," he raises his eyebrows.

This statement hits me like an arrow to my heart.

Recovering after a moment, I scowl. "Get the hell out of here if you're done molesting me."

"As you wish," he gives me yet another peck on the lips before jumping up high into the buildings and disappearing from my view. The tension and anxiety fades away with him.

I thought this guy was Stella's lover. But then again, Stella was flirting with Syaoran too… I guess they're not very loyal to each other. Well, Syaoran isn't exactly a guy who commits himself to one girl, either. I've watched countless numbers of girls cry because of him.

I exhale and inhale the fresh air, touching my swollen lips. As I make my way back into the hotel, my heart slows down to normal. Finally.

Upon my arrival to the bright lobby, my eye twitches. As if proving that he's still a playboy, Syaoran is surrounded by an admiring crowd of women, laughing and conversing with them all. He catches my eye and beckons me to come towards him. Nearly all of the women's heads snap towards me in annoyance, and I resist the temptation to roll my eyes. Even in disguise this guy manages to flirt with women.

"This girl right here, ladies," he announces as he wraps his arm around me, "is my wife." At his words, my heart immediately picks up its pace, rushing blood up to my cheeks. I turn sharply towards him, but he goes on. "It's a shame, but this is where we part ways!" he says cheerfully before steering me towards the elevator. Before the stunned women can grab at me or anything, the doors shut, enclosing us in this small space.

Syaoran leans against the wall, his arm still casually around my waist. "No disguise is good enough to cover my good looks," he smirks.

I scoff, unable to do much more. My ears are pulsing, I feel like I'm gonna suffocate, and I feel really hot all of a sudden. When Syaoran referred me as his "wife," something just throbbed inside of me. Oh my God, why am I going all mental all of a sudden. Don't tell me I'm going to be all head over heels for him.

"_You are not lovers."_

Leonard's words echo in my head. It's true. Is this development due to Syaoran's Vampire _thing_? I am so confused… Okay, so I do "love" him, but to what extent?

It seems so simple, yet it's not. Syaoran and I can't exactly waltz out of the elevator deciding to get married, Las Vegas style, or anything. I feel like it's so unreal for us to be able to have a normal life. I'm scared that I'm going to be afraid of him, more than I was last night.

And should I tell him about my run-in with Leonard? Do I have to tell him that he will lose control of himself soon, leaving me vulnerable enough for him to slaughter me? Do I tell him that I lusted for the Vampire?

"You there," Syaoran flicks my forehead, jolting me from my thoughts, "Did you hear a word I just said?"

"Uh," I rub my forehead, frowning, "No."

He lets out a great sigh before exiting the elevator. I follow, trying to keep up with his pace. Once we're safely in our room, he finally says, "I said that Eriol and Tomoyo gave a quick ring-in while you were out."

"What?" my eyes widen. "How did they manage to…"

"They're on vacation or something, and Tomoyo hacked into several systems to find out where we used our personal credit cards. I forgot Eriol and she knew about them… She's brilliant, that girl," he smirks, "She pinpointed our hotel and called in using a cell-phone Eriol bought off of some random guy in the alleys."

"I gotta hand it to Tomoyo," I grin, "She's a million times better than any other Analyst at the Barastelle."

"And Eriol is just a devious little asshole," he nods, "So they're going to come to our hotel room very briefly to fill us in on what's happening. Of course, they can't stay long or they might be given a death sentence by that bastard General of ours."

"Oh, him," I give a crooked smile, "I'd nearly forgotten about him."

Syaoran sprawls across the couch and sighs. "And as soon as we move to another city, we're taking up some bounty hunter jobs."

"Yessir," I mutter, taking a seat by his head.

There is silence as Syaoran's eyes meet mine. I determine myself to not look away. He suddenly reaches out and takes my black wig off, letting it drop on the floor. In an automatic response, my hand tugs off his fake hair, as well. My heart skips a beat when he captures my face in his hands, slowly pulling me down towards him.

I tell myself feverishly to get a grip. It's not the first time I've been in these kinds of situations with him, so why am I so conscious of it now? I've never even thought twice before touching Syaoran… but now…

I've got to be suffering from a disease or something; maybe it's an STD from my wild days. Oh shit.

"Sakura," he calls out clearly, as if noticing that my mind was wandering off.

Our lips are only inches apart when there is careful knocking at the door.

I feel my own face falter as Syaoran draws away immediately to get it. Goddammit, I need to go see a shrink. But I have no time to brood over myself, because the next moment, there is loud sobbing and laughing.

I look up in time to see Tomoyo hugging Syaoran with tears, then Eriol engaging him into a headlock. "We missed you, bastard," he yells as Syaoran throws a punch at his stomach. As the two bicker and laugh, all I see is a mane of black hair flowing towards me before Tomoyo locks me in her deathly grip.

"Sakuraaa!!" she wails, "Thank God!!"

Suddenly I feel myself tearing up. "Tomoyo…" I sniff, becoming aware of the fact that two of my few close friends whom I expected to not see again are here with me. Eriol walks over and hugs both me and Tomoyo, grinning down at me with what I suspect are damp azure eyes.

"Hi there, stranger," he says, pretending to brush away his dark hair instead of at his eyes.

I'm only able to nod, because I have to bury myself in Tomoyo's shoulder to not bawl my eyes out.

I feel safe.

Safe and warm.

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"We don't have much time, so we're going to just hammer through all these things," Eriol says while patting the sniffing Tomoyo on the back.

Syaoran and I both nod gravely.

"Well, important things first," Eriol grins, "Tomoyo and I are going out."

There's silence.

"What, no woohoos and squealing? I'm hurt," he feigns his pain.

"You conceited little…" Syaoran rolls his eyes, "_You_ would treat that as the most important news, wouldn't you."

"Whoop," I giggle, "Actually, I was wondering when Tomoyo would give in. Congrats, you two."

"Just don't get the poor girl pregnant, bastard," Syaoran smirks, "Of course, unless she wants it."

"Don't compare me to a hypocrite like you," Eriol clicks his tongue.

Tomoyo settles down a bit and gives a happy grin, her pale skin glowing in delight. "Okay, people, let's get down to business here." Her smile falters as she opens up her laptop, but it still lingers about her soft features.

"Maybe if we get through this quick enough, we could have some more time to chitchat afterwards," Eriol shrugs before readjusting his glasses. "Alright, so, ever since Sakura warned us about something fishy going on in the Barastelle, we've been trying to watch the authoritative figures."

"When was this?" Syaoran murmurs to me quietly.

"When I was abused and locked up by Anderson," I smirk sardonically.

His mouth forms a silent 'oh' before turning his attention back to Eriol.

"The General's been acting pretty strange lately… a bit_ odder _than usual, although the guy is pretty weird to begin with," he rolls his eyes, "Maybe we're looking too much into this, but it seemed like he was trying too hard to catch you guys. It's not like you guys are the most dangerous things out there, or that you guys are going around butchering people into pieces… Anyhow, the whole million-dollar-bounty thing on your heads is a bit too exaggerated to be true." He nods to Tomoyo.

"While Eriol was out hunting werewolves, I managed to gain access to the _ancient _part of the library – the one with the archives stacked from floor to ceiling where they keep printouts of all cases," she sighs as if she remembers flipping through all those pages, "If I tried to hack the computer system, they would have found out, so I had to go the old-fashioned way… and after about five hours," she grimaces, "I found these."

Tomoyo hands over an envelope that looks as old as Santa Claus. As I reach to open it, both of them yell out, "Not yet!"

Syaoran's eyebrow rises in question. "And why the hell not, lovebirds?"

Eriol looks a bit smug at the last word, but it's quickly overshadowed by a stricken expression we rarely see on him. "Just…" he readjusts his glasses nervously, "Just open it once you're out of the city and in a safer area," he says in a strained voice.

Before I can protest, Tomoyo speaks up, as if on cue. "Anyways, we also made an interesting discovery."

Syaoran and I exchange suspicious glances, knowing that they're hiding something from us. But we silently decide to ignore it for now, since we're pressed for time. "Yes?" Syaoran sighs.

"We uncovered the identity of the last scientist who was in the lab where Vampires first broke out before the Crimson Night unfolded," Tomoyo exhales, "Her name was Katherine McGowan, and not much is disclosed about her except for the fact that she was a motivated young woman who was preparing to take an early maternity leave. Obviously, she was killed."

My eyes widen at this new piece of information. Syaoran shuffles uncomfortably beside me, clearly disturbed at the thought of a pregnant woman getting murdered.

"Do you think she could have set the Vampires free?" Syaoran finally asks, glancing sideways at me.

"Her ID card was swiped at the exit a couple hours before the security system was destroyed, so we can't be sure… unless…" Tomoyo trails off.

"Unless she never actually left… A Vampire could have killed her somehow, taken her card and used it to set everyone else free." Eriol finishes.

It takes a couple of seconds for this to fully sink in. "But the question is, how did that Vampire manage to grab her?"

Syaoran interrupts before Eriol can speak, earning himself a glare. "You remember the scene investigation we did on one of those labs, right? The cells were de-activated with the consent or the ID of a scientist. None of the Vampires or other half-humans managed to set even their hands out of their cage…"

"Meaning that a scientist would have had to willingly let them free, since threats are useless when you're trapped in an impenetrable cage," Eriol finishes once more.

"There wasn't much information about her available, but I'm going to try to dig deeper into it… if need be," Tomoyo raises her eyebrows, "But there are more pressing matters to be investigated right now."

I fidget with my hands, staring down at the mysterious envelope. What could possibly be in it?

"Shit!" Eriol suddenly calls out, drawing all of our attention, "Is that the time? We've been here way to long, Tomoyo."

"Yeah, if there was a lesson to be learned from your capture, it's to not dwell in one place for such a long time," Tomoyo smiles bitterly at the memory.

I feel pain in my heart as I realize they're leaving. I want to say something, but nothing escapes my mouth. Syaoran seems to sense this, because he takes my hand and pulls me up from the couch, silently urging me to speak.

I can't help but notice Tomoyo's peculiar expression as she sees our adjoined hands, and the same kind of expression on Eriol's.

"I'll miss you guys," I manage, pulling both of them into a hug.

"Bear hug!" Syaoran calls out with a laugh, squeezing all of us tightly. We all laugh and giggle, relishing in this kind of simple, small pleasure that we've all been lacking these days.

"Take care, buddy," Eriol claps Syaoran on the shoulder, "Behave yourself, will you?"

"I'll try," Syaoran grins, ruffling Eriol's hair.

Tomoyo is in tears again as she whispers, "Please be careful, Sakura. I can't bear having to look at you like a prisoner again…"

I bite my lips and nod fervently, at a loss for words. I watch as they step out of the door, feeling a tight knot in my throat.

"You guys better head out before tomorrow, too," Eriol says, looking around cautiously.

Syaoran agrees. "Be careful on the way back, you two."

"We're going to be on "vacation." Don't you worry about us," he answers.

Tomoyo wipes her eyes. "Well, I guess this is it then."

There are silent nods all around. After a few moments, Tomoyo and Eriol turn towards the elevators.

At this moment, I feel something burst inside of me. "Thank you," I sob out, clutching Syaoran's hand tighter for support.

They stop and look at me in surprise.

"Thanks for trusting us… for helping us…" my voice is becoming drowned in my sorrow, "You better not get into trouble, alright?" Words can't express that gratefulness I have in my heart right now. Not only for having Syaoran here by my side, but people like Eriol and Tomoyo who are standing with us even in this dangerous mission.

"Same goes for you," Eriol quickly answers as Tomoyo threatens to break out into hysteric fits. The elevator opens, and they both step into it. Unable to speak, Tomoyo waves at us, right until the moment the doors close.

Syaoran pulls me into his arms, resting his chin on my head and allowing me to cry into his chest. My heart's about to explode - with joy, sorrow, thankfulness, regret, fear, and about a hundred other ambivalent emotions.

I cling onto Syaoran, praying to God that all this mess will be over soon.

And that once everything's back to normal, all four of us will be able to laugh together.

And that maybe, just maybe, I will be able to sort out my feelings for Syaoran.

I can only hope.

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**Chapter 11 – Heartbeat – End –**

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**Author's Note**: Phew, long chapter! I think this is by far the longest chapter in this story so far! So please leave me a review… I'd appreciate it to know how you guys thought about all this. The story's moving forward quickly! And once more, the chapter flowed out as I typed it… the only thing I planned for this one was the scene with Leo… fair enough, I guess :)

The opening quote, "The proof of true love is to be unsparing in criticism" is one of my favourite quotes of all time :D I found it befitting for this chapter...

Just as a sidenote, General Churchill's name was kind of derived from the famous Winston Churchill. Random, I know… but I found the surname quite fitting for some reason.

It was quite difficult trying to portray Sakura's confusion with her own feelings, too… I enjoyed writing the scene with Leonard though. With Anderson out of the picture, I get to have lots of fun writing about him. (sniggers)

And if any of you guys were wondering, there WAS a reason for the scene with Leo:)

**Please, please drop a review to keep me going! **

The next update will likely come after my exams, which is the end of the month, or early February...

Good luck to everyone who has exams!


	12. Chapter 12: Ambivalence

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Exams went by fairly well, due to my hectic last-minute studying and fairly-easy exams. XD Sorry for the delayed update; after the exams, I was busy celebrating my liberation from exams, and then the second semester hit me... With math in my schedule, I am going to be miserable until June. T-T (I'm probably worse than the canon Sakura at math)

Due to many requests, I decided to make this chapter be told from Syaoran's POV. It was difficult for me to write though, since I didn't plan it and didn't know what to include or where to start... But it's done. But no more Syaoran-POV from here, or the story will be dragging on too much. (It's already becoming longer than I expected :P) Since so many of you asked for this, I hope you guys enjoy it and drop a review :D

**And really, please keep those reviews coming! **Whenever I see reviews, a big smile comes onto my face and makes my day… cheering me up and encouraging me to write on :D

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ஐ** Vampire Hunter **ஐ

**Chapter 12 - Ambivalence**

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"Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts."

_- Robert Fulghum_

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**Syaoran's POV**

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She's beautiful.

I watch Sakura's concentrated face as she watches TV, her lips parted and her arms hugging her pillow to her body. Her eyebrows arch and furrow according to what the TV shows, drawing my amusement. She scoffs quietly to herself as the reporter says something that ticks her off.

Her hair is trailing down past her shoulders now, longer than they used to be. My eyes venture from her brilliant eyes to her mouth, then to her vulnerable, irresistible throat. As I feel myself unconsciously lean towards her, I immediately scowl at myself. I place my hands firmly beneath my legs, determined not to bother her until she is done watching TV. I've got to admit, I'm feeling less human by day, having to accept the fact that I can't survive without blood going through my mouth. Closing my eyes, I count to ten and exhale deeply.

We arrived in Pittsburgh, not far from the borders to Ohio and West Virginia, a few hours ago. We were too tired from distancing ourselves from Philadelphia, where the bounty hunters and police were hot on our trails for open fire.

I sigh as I remember the encounter with Leonard and Stella, and how I longed to just bite into Stella's pale neck without holding back. For a moment, nothing else mattered to me except for the fact that she was standing before me. I had unconsciously believed that Stella was offering herself to me, and that I needed to drink her blood. I feel sick of myself.

And Leonard, that bastard… the thought of him makes my blood boil. The next time I come across his sorry ass, I'm going to shred him into pieces.

Sakura suddenly turns towards me, startling me by locking my eyes in her gaze. "Thirsty?" she asks casually, with a little smirk. You would think she was asking me if I wanted a cup of water or something.

Instinctively, I scowl at her in return. But as soon as she had mentioned it, my thirst had rapidly increased, and my needs needed to be satisfied. All I can hear is my own heart picking up pace, as if excited to be fed more blood. All I can see is the particular spot on Sakura's throat, where I can almost feel her pulse just by looking at it. My throat begins to parch, and I breathe slowly, trying to calm myself. I can see better than before, and from that I know that my eyes have dilated like a wild animal's.

I hesitantly reach out to her face, slowly brushing a strand of hair away from her face. She holds her gaze without breaking it. Thank God she's not flinching like before. That broke my heart. What's left of it, anyway.

She glances at the TV once more to make sure she's not missing anything before slipping her shirt off. As her bare skin is exposed, she exhales quietly at the coldness. She wraps the blanket around her lower body, not noticing my rapid heartbeats that are not the result of my bloodlust.

Something's wrong with me these days. I've been getting turned on by Sakura. By _Sakura_. Maybe I've just been away from a woman's touch for too long. Yes, that must be it. I mean, it's not like I've never seen Sakura naked before. In fact, I've seen it quite a lot… Alright, I've got to shut the hell up before I die of unfulfilled excitement.

It's _Sakura_. I've already promised myself that I'm not going to love her_ that_ way. She deserves someone better. Someone _human_.

I nearly jump as I feel Sakura's cold hands on my shoulders. I slowly look up at her, knowing well that I can't hold off much longer. I try to hold my impulses in, trying to maintain in control of myself. If I don't, I don't know what the hell I'll do to her.

Sakura shivers against me as I trace her scar with my tongue, still trying to hold on to myself. Carefully, I bite into her once-flawless throat, causing her to gasp out slightly. My teeth sink into her skin, filling the air with the scent of her sweet blood. I hold her close to me, barely noticing how her hands are clutching my back.

With each gulp comes a rush of ecstasy. I feel life running through my veins, rejuvenating me with Sakura's energy. Listening to her heavy breathing, I feel my self-control slip away. I close my eyes, and I want nothing more than to just pin her beneath me and rip off her remaining clothes.

I want to fuck her.

I cling onto my mind, trying to drive away my dark thoughts and desires. I shake away the images in my head. I realize that my hands are painfully pressing Sakura's body against mine, and I quickly loosen my grip. I'm becoming more and more like a beast. I can't let myself do such a thing to her. She doesn't deserve it.

I love her too much to let myself do such a thing to her.

But another impulse is threatening to overcome me as I continue to drink from her. I don't want to stop. I'm becoming blind to everything around me. All I want to do is satisfy my thirst. I want to fill myself up with her blood. It's not enough… It's not nearly enough…

My eyes jolt open as I hear Sakura's soft whimpering. I didn't notice it until now. I finally tear myself away from her, pressing against the bleeding and unable to meet her eyes. I can still strongly smell her blood, and I'm barely able to repress my urges.

"Sorry," I mutter, trying to calm my breaths.

She shakes her head, leaning against my chest with a thud. "Instead of apologizing, why don't you try thanking me, idiot?" she laughs, exhilarated, sinking into the blankets and pillows.

I stare at her, looking directly into her captivating eyes. "Thank you," I bring her hand to my lips, not looking away.

She smiles, reaching up to pat my head. "Good job."

Soon, she falls asleep, exhausted from the lack of blood. I touch her soft, pale face, and I can't help but notice how unhealthy she looks. She was never the healthiest or most colourful of the bunch, thanks to her routine habits, but this is different. This isn't only a physical problem; it's emotional.

It's no wonder she's devastated. I'd be distraught if I were her. Hell, I don't know if I'd even be able to offer my blood to a vampire like she's doing. Of course, if the vampire was her, I'd be doing the same thing she's doing for me. But the fact that Sakura is sacrificing so much for me doesn't comfort me. It pains me. Only if it were me in her place, perhaps she could have been happier.

If all of this never happened and we were still Hunters at the Barastelle… how would things have turned out? I sigh and lie down beside her, pulling the blanket over our forms. Maybe we would have continued to live a routine life, hunting Vampires, meeting up with Eriol, Tomoyo, Meilin and Ewan, being praised as the top Vampire Hunter pair in the Barastelle…

All those things seem so far away, so long ago.

I watch Sakura's steady breathing, carefully tracing the outlines of her lips, dry from the lack of blood in her body.

I remember how she whispered, "I love you," with these very lips when she passed out after I savagely drank from her. I remember how those words cut deeply into me, despite the fact that they should have brought immense joy. I nearly forgot to catch her as she fell. I was happy, yet sad at the same time.

Sakura shouldn't love me that way. I shouldn't love Sakura that way.

I want her to find someone who will not burden her with such miseries and obligations that I'm placing on her. Someone who will make her forget about a guy like me.

I smirk bitterly to myself, wondering if any guy will be good enough for her in my eyes. I sigh and pull the blanket over her small frame, ensuring that the blood flow has stopped before removing my hand from her scarred throat. I silently stand up from the bed and am about to walk towards the computer when Sakura's hand grabs my shirt.

Alarmed, I look back at her, wondering if she's hurting. But my worries subside as I see her sleeping face. I chuckle to myself and gently remove her hand. "You shouldn't do such a thing, even in your sleep," I whisper, "I told you before, didn't I? Men are like wolves."

Sighing, I notice the time. Time for me to go.

"I'll be back," I say, leaning in to kiss Sakura's cheek.

With one last look at her, I grab my coat and gun before exiting the hotel.

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After quite a bit of walking, I arrive at a sketchy pub, filled with desperate women and suspicious men. I was smart to come here alone. Sakura may have been kidnapped or sexually harassed the moment she walked in here, along with every other female entering this pub. I readjust my sunglasses before going up to the bartender who is cleaning a set of beer mugs.

Without saying anything, I lay down a printout of a wanted poster featuring three Vampires with haunting looks in their eyes.

"You're the bounty hunter who signed up to catch those bastards?" a gruff man asks from behind the counter.

I nod, inwardly grimacing at the fact that I've been lowered from an elite Vampire Hunter to some ordinary, sorry bounty hunter. It stings my pride. "Show me the money," I say quietly.

The man jerks his thumb towards the backdoor, motioning for me to follow him. When I do so, he opens a safe with a bag filled with cash. "They should be lurking by the alleys around here by now," he says.

"Alright then," I pocket the poster, "I'll be back in a few."

"Don't get yourself killed now," the man points a finger at me, "The last few ones got slaughtered trying to earn some money."

"I assure you that I'll be back for your money," I smirk before walking into the dark alleys.

Without telling Sakura, I've been taking up bounty hunter jobs for some time. I didn't want her to follow along, in case anything dangerous happened. As Vampire Hunters, we were assigned "official" assignments with proper equipment and backup, but bounty hunters don't have anything like that. It's just give and take. Sometimes the one who promised you the money decides to kill you or bail out, so you're exposed to all kinds of shit. I don't want Sakura to have to deal with any of this crap… Although she probably dealt with some shady characters in the past, trying to acquire drugs and whatnot.

She's not going to meet any of those kinds of bastards while I'm still around.

I remove my glasses and coat, placing them against the walls and pulling out my gun. As I activate it, I hear some rats scurrying off into their nests. I immediately feel a familiar rush of adrenaline as I sense the hunt coming to a start. I take cautious steps, ready to shoot anything that will charge towards me. I draw a deep breath.

"I don't have all day, you know," I call out, "Let's just get this over with."

As if they had been waiting for this, three Vampires land gracefully in front of me from above. I smirk shrewdly. "I'm going to kick your sorry asses."

Then begins my hunt.

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It takes me about thirty minutes to finish off those lowly bloodsuckers, drag them back towards the pub, collect my money and return to the hotel. Upon arriving in the lobby, I inconspicuously go into the room with the ATM machine, quickly depositing all of the cash into my and Sakura's personal accounts. Then I finally return to our room, where Sakura is still sleeping.

I smile to myself before removing my coat, revealing my bloodied shirt. I sigh and go into the bathroom, tossing it into the washing machine. As revolting as it may sound, no Vampire's blood is nearly as good as Sakura's. I wonder if Stella's blood is any good. I roll my eyes at the thought.

After showering, I walk back into the room, where Sakura is sitting up on the bed, looking straight at me.

I immediately check that I'm wearing my pants, ignoring the lack of my shirt, which is still in the washing machine. Then I widen my eyes innocently, silently asking her what the hell she's looking at.

"Where have you been?" her eyebrows arch up.

"Downstairs," I reply without hesitation, "You don't expect me to babysit you even in your sleep, do you?"

Sakura scowls, drawing the blankets tightly around her.

"And what's got your panties in a knot?" I smirk, walking towards her.

To my greatest amusement, she flushes instantly. "Don't come any closer!" she raises her voice, still pulling the blankets closer around her.

My smirk grows into a wide grin. "Why, did my little baby wet the bed or something?"

"Shut up! That's not it!" she throws a pillow at me. I dodge it with ease, laughing at her obvious discomfort. She screams as I jump straight at her, landing on the bed with her beneath me. As I continue to laugh, she kicks and curses, still refusing to let go of the blankets.

Then I notice something. I sniff around, noticing how Sakura tensed up, eyes wide. A huge, mischievous grin forms on my face as I realize what's the matter. "Ah-hah."

Sakura cringes, readying herself for my analysis.

"My little Sakura has her period," I begin to laugh, "I was wondering what the smell was!"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" she yells, her face bright red. She watches me roll over to beside her, still laughing. She mutters, "I always wondered if you were able to tell." Her face flushes even redder. This is hilarious.

"I guess being a Vampire has its usefulness," I say ecstatically, "I'd always know when a girl is not able to-"

"STOP IT!" she screams, kicking me straight in the stomach.

I continue to laugh hysterically, eager to make this kind of moment last.

After all, I don't want to be giving her only bad things; I want to give her as much of good things as I am able to.

Because I love her.

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**Chapter 12 – Ambivalence – End –**

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**Author's Note**: Ambivalence means conflicting emotions – wanting something yet uncertain about it at the same time. The dictionary definition is having simultaneous feelings of positivity and negativity towards something…

And as for the last part… Period is dead blood, and therefore vampires WOULD know. XD So you got a taste of Syaoran's feelings… and that he's been bounty hunter-ing alone. He is awesome. (says the person who created his personality…) And now you REALLY know that he loves her, although it was strongly implied before in the other Syaoran-POV-chapter. From here on, the plot will move forward at a steady pace! No more Syaoran-POV!

I kind of want to turn this into an original story… meaning, just switch the characters' names and physical traits a bit, since Sakura and Syaoran aren't very canon. (in fact, they're pretty damn AU) Maybe once I'm finished with it.

**ATTENTION!** There is a poll on my profile regarding on the number of chapters this story should have… I secretly (not so secretly anymore though) want to reach 1000 reviews. That would be frigging awesome. AND my birthday is coming up soon :D

Hehee. So please participate in that poll, and** please drop a review to keep me going! **


	13. Chapter 13: Truth

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all those lovely reviews, and for participating in the poll! And sorry for the extremely delayed update… I have been facing a hectic time at school, and I had a huge writer's block where I trashed the original ending I planned for this story and developed a new one… Many thanks to SugarQuill Cutie for helping me out…!

As of now I have the next five chapters planned out! Woot! XD At this rate, I will be able to satisfy all of you who voted for 20plus chapters for this story! I doubt it will be MUCH over 20, but it WILL be over 20. :D Again, thanks for voting!

**Reviews equal my love. Please keep those reviews coming! **:D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 13 - Truth**

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"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

_- William Shakespeare_

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I'm scared.

I'm fucking scared to death.

My breaths are coming out raggedly, begging for rest. Sweat is dropping from my forehead, causing my hair to cling to my face. Syaoran's hand is grasping mine tightly as he struggles to keep me going with his greater stamina, nervously glancing back at me from time to time. My heart is about to explode from exhaustion… it hurts like bitch.

I can't feel my legs. We've been running for hours. The Hunters behind us are drawing closer, and we can hear them shouting. After flying here to Montana, we planned on staying at a low-key town outside the city. That plan never worked out, since our disguises failed us as a group of young Hunters from the Montana branch Barastelle recognized us. That was four hours ago.

We hid in alleys, subways, air terminals and whatnot, but they had paged other patrolling Hunters to chase us down. They were chasing us like we were mice in a trap, coming in from every direction. We had to fight off some of them, during which I nearly lost my eye from a dagger being thrown at me. (Needless to say, Syaoran was pissed enough to drive the poor Hunter's head into a pile of dog shit – he always had a sort of fetish for my eyes for some reason.)

"Syaoran," I manage to pant out, "It hurts…"

He grips me harder before examining the scenery around us with narrowed eyes. The city walls are not far ahead, and the sun is about to set. Beyond the walls is a maze of trees, barren landscapes on either side of the forest. Montana is known for its availability of empty lands. Syaoran scowls, "I'm gonna need blood, Sakura."

I look at him tiredly, understanding that his energy is decreasing rapidly as well. I wordlessly tug at his hand, closing my eyes and slightly slowing down.

A familiar sensation floods into me as he bites into my hand, replenishing his strength with each gulp. After withdrawing his teeth, he sucks on the wound for a few moments to stop the bleeding. Then with a smirk, he throws me onto his back and begins to run as fast as he can.

As the Hunters grow smaller and smaller from my view, I slowly give into the wave of exhaustion in my body and shut my eyes.

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When I wake up, the moon's high up in the sky, visible through the thick, tall trees surrounding us. How long have I been sleeping? I meet Syaoran's eyes only after waking up entirely. He looks down at me with a smile, and I realize that I've been sleeping on his lap. With a slight blush, I hurriedly sit up, rubbing at my eyes and fixing my windswept hair.

"Are they gone?" I ask, my voice groggy from sleep.

He nods, staring out into the darkness around the clearing. "They probably called the headquarters already though. We have to go somewhere else."

"Maybe we should just get out of this country," I stretch my arms.

"And become refugees? That wouldn't be half as bad of an idea if it wasn't close to impossible to sneak past the border these days," he snorts. "The borders between the states are nothing compared to the borders around the country."

"Remind me to take you to Rome to hand you over to the Vatican," I roll my eyes at his pessimism.

He merely chuckles, and there's a short silence between us.

"Has that phone been turned on?" I ask.

He nods wordlessly.

Among the package Tomoyo and Eriol handed us was a single cell phone that was marked as "**FOR EMERGENCY USES ONLY: IF YOU USE IT TO CALL US TO ASK ABOUT THE WORLD CUP SCORES OR SOMETHING, WE WILL PERSONALLY GIVE YOUR LOCATION TO THE GENERAL**." Upon reading this, Syaoran had barked out a laugh and muttered, "Eriol, that stupid bastard, World Cup ended months ago."

Beneath the bold scribble was Tomoyo's elegant script, "_We'll call you if there's anything new, so unless it's really, really important, don't call us. It's too risky_."

"…Do you think it's about time we opened those files Tomoyo and Eriol gave us?" I lean back against the tree.

With a sigh, he reaches for the folders inside the bag by his feet. "Are you ready for this?" he looks at me with a frown.

"It's about time we learn the truth," I smile sardonically, leaning in towards him.

Syaoran nods, and without another word, he opens the first folder.

Neither of us expected what was waiting for us.

Tense silence creeps in between us.

Syaoran turns to me immediately, pulling me into his arms, as if attempting to shield me from what's inside. But I had already seen enough, and that single sight would be embedded into my mind forever.

The picture of a man and a woman.

A brown-haired man and a silver-haired woman, drenched in blood.

The words, "The assassination order of Fujitaka and Nadeshiko Kinomoto," written carelessly above the photo, with the General's signature beneath it. A bold stamp marking it as "complete."

The picture of my father and mother, their lifeless eyes open in shock.

…So much for being declared "missing in action."

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"_What's happening, Touya?" I whisper, gripping his arm. _

_I feel him trying to stop me from shaking so much, but I can't seem to calm down. He senses this, and he wraps his arms tightly around me._

"_I don't know."_

"_Where's mom and dad?"_

_He pauses. "I don't know."_

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An empty, hollow feeling overwhelms me as I continue to stare at the picture. I lick my dry lips, not knowing exactly how I'm feeling. Touya… did he know? Did he know that our parents were marked as traitors? Was he aware of the fact that our parents were going to be killed? With trembling hands, I bring it closer to me, unable to cry, unable to speak.

Syaoran begins to read out from another piece of paper attached to the back of the first. ""Charges: Traitors of the Barastelle, revolted against the General, attempted to assault the General, defended the half-humans, possible perpetrators of the Crimson Night.""

My eyes widen at the last charge. ""P-possible… perpetrators…?"

He exhales sharply.

I'm not sure what to believe… Do I believe that my parents were responsible for all the damage that was done five years ago? Damage that was so great that it scarred more than half the nation emotionally and physically, including Syaoran and I? Am I to believe that?

I meet his eyes with weariness.

"You're not going to cry," he says rather than ask, almost as if he's unsure.

"How could this be," I stare hard at the photo, as if it would tell me that this was all a lie, "How could my own parents be the ones who…"

"Sakura, calm down, they were only _possible_ suspects," Syaoran says quickly, sensing my rising hysteria, "Besides, how can we be sure?"

"They must have done _something_ to raise suspicion," I grab at his shirt, ignoring his alarmed look, "Now that I think about it, my parents were paranoid about Touya and my safety for a good few weeks before the Crimson Night! Does that mean they-"

Syaoran hushes me with a finger over my lips. "Why are you so quick to trust the words of the organization out to get us?" he smirks bitterly, "Why are you so quick to doubt your own family? Even if they really did initiate the Night, do you think that they didn't have a good enough reason? Because from what I heard from you and many other people, your parents were honorable, respectable Hunters. Could they have truly planned out the chaos that would harm so many innocent lives?"

"But it says here in black and white! There must have been something…" my mind is rushing by in blurry successions, stiffening my logic and sense. All I know is that my parents could have been responsible for that dreadful night.

He looks at me with almost a cold, pitiful gaze. "So, if you found a report saying that I was a suspect for the same crime, would you believe it?"

I flinch at the edgy tone in his voice, uneasy from the look in his eyes. _Would I believe it?_

He sighs, "Sakura, sometimes, organizations like the police or the Barastelle, even the government, aren't all good. There are schemes and spies all the time. You can't trust every single word those kind of organizations give, just because they're _supposed _to be good."

I bite my lip in shame, knowing that he's right, but still unable to get rid of the tight knot in my chest.

"I understand your need and want to trust authoritative people, but still…" he breaks off, sliding the folder away, "There's another file."

My heart begins to pace. What is it? Is it proof that my parents perpetrated the Crimson Night? Is it a report dropping their charges? Regretting that they made a mistake in suspecting them?

Syaoran slowly opens the file, and I watch in horror as his expression twists into an unrecognizable one. His eyes are dark with quiet rage, his mouth turned down in disgust and disbelief. I quickly lean in further to read the folder before us, and I immediately clap my hand to my mouth in horror.

"Proposal for Project HH-1CM; to create "vampires," "werewolves" and other beings possessing superhuman abilities by injecting a human being with the proper genes and chemicals."

There is a horrified silence between us, only disturbed by the owls' eerie hooting and the rustling of the leaves in the wind.

"I-I thought… vampires and werewolves were created in… test tubes… or something?" I manage to say in a strained voice.

"They never said," Syaoran says slowly, his eyes hardening, "They just announced that the half humans were a part of a confidential government project. They just left people to assume that they were created from… scratch." He clenches the sheets, reading out, ""Special forces will be trained to specialize in maintaining control over the test subjects, and in case of a runaway, would be responsible to bring them back into custody." So this is how they came up with the idea for the Hunters…"

My lips are trembling. "How could… how could they do that… to people…"

Syaoran turns to me with a sharp look. I flinch at the ferocity in his expression. "Do you still trust these people, Sakura? For God's sake, they agreed to make normal humans into freaks! And for what cause? To fucking make "superhuman abilities" possible?"

I meet his angry face with helplessness. "I don't know what to believe…"

He's about to retort back, but a sudden noise stops him.

We both turn to the source of the noise, only to be ambushed by a group of creatures.

One slashes at me, and I cry out in pain as I receive a deep cut across my shoulder. The pain jolts me awake from all the disbelief and weariness. As the blood spurts onto the ground and seeps through my clothes, Syaoran's eyes dilate and his breathing becomes labored.

"Oh God, not now," he groans, activating his gun and avoiding an attack.

Between my pants of pain, I take a moment to analyze our enemies. Under the light of the full moon, I'm able to make them out.

Standing on two legs, canine features, menacing eyes, fur covering most of the body and deadly claws on their hands and feet…

Werewolves.

One begins to growl like a true wolf, and I can't help but flinch away. There is a howl from somewhere distant, and it lunges itself towards me, fangs bared.

"Oh no, you don't," Syaoran yells before shooting at it. The werewolf falls down with a yelp, its bloodied leg twitching.

That's when I realize something.

These werewolves are all humans.

They are humans turned into beasts, like vampires.

So all this time, I've been killing countless humans, treating them as less than beasts…

Guilt begins to overflow my senses in realization.

Syaoran seems to notice too, because he gives a pissed "Fuck!" before rushing towards me. He pulls me into his arms and picks me up off the ground, starting to run very fast.

The werewolves are chasing our tails, their menacing eyes glaring at us. I shiver as Syaoran covers my wound with his mouth, cleaning away the blood while gaining more strength. We pass through an impossible display of trees and bushes, unable to lose the wolves. Syaoran jumps over a creek before cursing at the persistent group.

My arms tighten around Syaoran's shoulders as I watch the werewolves chase us. Some of the tree branches scratch my face and feet, blurring my sight of our chasers. Now that I think about it, they're not all wolf – you could clearly distinguish the human features if you focus on them. My lips begin to tremble in shame.

"Sakura, look," Syaoran suddenly says. I slowly turn to where his gaze is.

There's a cliff right ahead of us, and beyond the large gap, is a tall mansion. And there is a single, unstable bridge leading to it.

I frown. "Why the hell is there a-"

"Who cares?" Syaoran growls.

"It looks haunted," I shiver.

"Is it time to be picky, princess?" he rolls his eyes. "Hang on tight, and activate your gun."

With amazing agility, Syaoran runs to the bridge. I nearly lose my grip on his shoulders as he jumps over the rotting wood, which creaks dangerously, as if threatening to break apart. Just as the werewolves begin to near the bridge, he screams, "Shoot at the bridge as many times as you can, now!"

Understanding his plan, I begin to do so.

Syaoran's also shooting as he runs, and as we near the other side of the cliff, the bridge falls apart, shattering down towards the dark pit below. I watch in amazement as the piece of wood we had been on a second ago disappears into the darkness. Syaoran makes a great leap and lands safely on the ground, and only then do I realize that I've been holding my breath the whole time. The werewolves, without a way to reach us, pace along the edge of the cliff, clearly agitated. They begin to howl, and Syaoran gives a victorious smirk.

I give a shaky laugh before climbing off of him. "Promise me you'll never do that again."

"Can't do that, sorry," he grins, glancing at the mansion in front of us.

I grimace at the sight. The mansion looks as if it had existed a millennium ago. The roof seems as if it's ready to collapse with age, and the massive antique doors aren't as inviting as they could be. There's eerie vines crawling up the cracked bricks, and most windows are boarded up or missing the glass panels. For a fleeting moment, I think I see a dark figure moving in one of the rooms. I grab Syaoran in fear. I have never been good with anything to do with horror.

"We're not going in," I whisper almost pleadingly.

He just smirks, taking my hand in his. "I think it's the perfect place to talk about this whole thing."

I bite my lip, once again remembering everything.

As we begin to walk, Syaoran gives a great sigh. "I know it's hard, but we can't run away from every vampire and werewolf we come across like today. We've got to battle them the way we always have."

I nod wordlessly, still unable to shake off the heavy guilt from my heart.

We halt in front of the grand doors, covered with abandoned bird nests and spider webs in every available crease. Without any hesitation or concern for my fear of ghosts, Syaoran pushes open the door. To my slight delight, he struggles with the task, having to use his entire weight to make enough room for us to fit through.

"Serves you right for putting me through this." I mutter.

"Go to hell," he rolls his eyes.

There is a very disturbing silence as we both stare at the darkness waiting for us.

"Ladies first," Syaoran grins, handing me a lighter from his pocket.

"You know, you really should consider turning yourself in to the Barastelle," I spit out, but it doesn't come out as mean as it should sound, due to my rising panic.

He seems to notice this and helpfully pushes me in through the doors.

As I step into the house, the floor beneath me moans in retaliation. I nearly flinch as rats scurry off away from the dim light in front of me. The floor groans even more as Syaoran comes in, and he gives a low whistle.

"Perfect place for a party, don't you think?"

"Perfect place for a sadist like you," I hastily grab on to his arm as I hear the hissing of the wind.

He peers over at the wall, where there is a line of torches. Taking one of them, he brings it to the lighter, bringing a brighter light source to illuminate the area.

Now that we can see, I'm even more scared.

The house does not seem as old as its exterior. In fact, aside from the infestation of rats and dust, it looks pretty modern. However, all the furniture seems to have been broken intentionally and not by animals or age, and the torches on the walls seem like they've been prepared not too long ago.

"Syaoran, I really don't think this is a good place to stay, much less to talk about anything," I shiver as I examine a painting of an eerie woman dressed in a black dress.

"Hmm, yeah," he answers absentmindedly, looking at the stairs ascending and descending in different directions. "I wonder if anyone lives here?"

"Are you trying to be funny? Because your sense of humor lately has been-" I freeze.

Oh my God.

Oh my fucking…

The painting just blinked.

The fucking painting just fucking blinked at me.

"OH MY GOD!!" I scream at the top of my lungs, scared shitless. I immediately back away from the portrait, wanting nothing more that to get out of this place.

"What the hell, Sakura? What is it?" Syaoran turns to me, alarmed at the sudden rise in the volume.

"The painting blinked, the painting just fricking-" I feel my foot push in deeper than it should into the floor.

The space beneath me suddenly begins to move. The wood disappears, replacing itself with a seemingly endless hole. I can't even scream as I begin to fall into it, and my eyes lock with Syaoran's shocked ones. He begins to run towards me, hands outstretched. Everything seems to be happening in slow motion as I try to grab his hands.

But before I can touch him, I start to fall down at a rapid speed.

I muster up enough sense to scream his name. "SYAORAN!"

My voice echoes through the tunnel I'm travelling through, channeling through my ears. I can't see anything. I can't feel anything. I'm still falling.

"SAKURA!!"

The last thing I hear before passing out is Syaoran's frantic calls, echoing all around me.

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**Chapter 13 – Truth – End –**

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**Author's Note**: CLIFFIE. XD Bwahahah. (gets whacked in the head) This was a pretty long chapter, to my intense relief. :) And BAM, BAM! VERY important information revealed! Of course, that's only a part of what's to come... But the plot is definitely in motion now. (woot woOt)

And ahh, Sakura and her insecurities; Syaoran and his gruff scolding. After an unofficial hiatus of nearly 2 months, it was difficult writing this chapter. Since I was planning for all the chapters until the ending, I found it hard to find a way to capture their CURRENT emotions. Ohh man. But I really enjoyed writing "the haunted mansion." One of the few canon things about Sakura in this fic is her fear of scary things, the other one being her weakness in math.

If there are any awkward grammar or dialogue, please forgive me, since I'm a little rusty at the moment. (sigh) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!

**Please drop me a review to keep me going! **

PS. The little excerpt in italics after Sakura and Syaoran see the photograph is from chapter 7 – the flashback of what she went through during the Crimson Night.


	14. Chapter 14: Penetration

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the very late update…. A lot of things have been happening in my life.

On another note, I realize that it's been nearly a year since I started this story… However, I do have the next few chapters planned out… it's just the matter of me managing my time better :)

THANKS FOR WAITING, and here's the next chapter for you!

**PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! Reviews motivate me to update more often** :D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 14 - Penetration**

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"This is what missing-in-action means;

means there's not enough to find to bury you really."

_- Loren Morgan_

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"_Mom! Dad!" I shouted excitedly, skipping down the stairs. "You're not gonna believe what I just heard!"_

"_Shut your mouth, monster, or I'll just have to-" Touya was stopped by the dangerously sweet smile of our dad._

_Fujitaka Kinomoto, one of the top Vampire Hunters of the Barastelle… when he was giving anyone this kind of smile, you'd _know _why he was one of the best. "You were saying, Sakura?" his look softened._

_Our mom, Nadeshiko, appeared from the kitchen with a big grin. "Gossip about Touya? I can't wait to hear this," she began to cuddle Touya like a big teddy bear, emitting groans and protests from him._

"_Touya's dating the top student of the Analyst division! Everyone knows she's _unreachable!_" I give a big smirk at my brother's obvious embarrassment. "Apparently he's earned himself many nicknames unrelated to his skills as a Hunter."_

_Mom began to giggle uncontrollably. "I know just who you're talking about! It's that girl, Kaho Mizuki, isn't it? She's absolutely gorgeous! That's our son for you!" she began to hug him even tighter._

_Dad's smile softened even more. "Touya, you should bring her to our house one time. We'd like to meet this _unreachable_ girl you managed to… let's see… _score_, is that what you call it these days?"_

_I began to laugh hysterically at my dad's choice of words._

_Touya rolled his eyes at me, nevertheless grinning. "Maybe I will. Who knows? Maybe Kaho will be so good with handling monsters that she'll hit it off great with Sakura."_

"_Call me monster one more time and I'll show you what a monster is," I instantly scowled._

_As we continued to bicker, our parents just chuckled in the background, sighing about how potential Hunters all have a hell of a temper._

_However, our parents never got to meet Kaho properly._

_Because a week after, they disappeared from this world, and from Touya and my lives._

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My eyes snap open, and I immediately begin to breathe labouredly.

I haven't dreamed about my parents in the longest time… Not only that, that dream was so realistic that it wasn't even like a dream. It felt more like… I was watching the films of my memories in a theatre or something. I'm not the most expressive one of the bunch, but I can say that much.

I feel my stomach churn at the thought of my mom and dad… and what I learned about them. Did they really initiate the Crimson Night? I don't know what to believe anymore. I don't know what I _want_ to believe anymore.

Sighing, I try to get up from my position. However, I notice something odd.

Something's holding me back.

My brain still not functioning entirely, I slowly look down to my abdomen. There's a thick belt strapping me to a dirty, dusty recliner. I feel chills go down my entire body as I observe more things tying my arms and legs down. I'm pinned down to the recliner. What the _hell_?

On the verge of hyperventilating, I look around my surroundings. There's dim light showing way to a very eerie collection of paintings, ancient machines and more modern ones. I see rats scurrying off to scavenge for scraps, and watch them disappear through a hole in the back of one painting.

Hang on…

I examine the painting as well as I can in my position.

It's just high enough for someone to peek their eyes out of.

Does that mean…

"I found a girl, yes I did… I found a girl and she's not going to go away… No, she can't go away, because I found her…"

A dreadful feeling runs through my senses as I hear the muttering echoing from not far away.

"Perfect, perfect, perfect. You know, I've been working on this for a long time. Yes, a long time. I couldn't be sure, couldn't be sure just by testing it on you furry animals, and I couldn't be sure testing it on me, but now I can be sure, because I found this girl…" the muttering gets louder, and I nearly scream at the figure before me.

It's a man. At least, I think it's a man. He has a dirty, balding head with untamed hair sprouting in every direction. His lab coat is smeared with substances I don't want to even guess at. He smells horrible, like he's been living in the sewers with the rats all his life. In fact, I don't think I'm too far-fetched on that one. His eyes, oh my Lord, are the creepiest I've ever seen. They're all glazed over, as if he's lost his sense a long time ago. He looks gaunt…

He's the scariest person I've ever met in my life.

I begin to scream, unable to hold it in. "GET AWAY FROM ME! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!"

To my surprise, he clamps his hands over his ears. "WHAT'S THAT NOISE?!" he shouts, equally as loud as me, "STOP THAT NOISE! IT'S HURTING MY HEAD!"

I immediately scream louder. "SYAORAN! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE! I'M BECOMING A TEST SUBJECT FOR A FUCKING FREAK! IF YOU DON'T COME, I'LL PERSONALLY KICK YOUR-" I gasp as I feel a sharp pain jabbing into my upper arm.

The pain's too familiar. I've inflicted the same pain on myself as a daily routine before.

There's a needle poking out of my right arm, stabbed in so hard and improperly that there's blood gushing out.

The man begins to whimper as he injects the unknown substance into me. "You can't be loud, you have to be quiet. It you make a loud noise, they might come get you. They're going to come get me. They're going to come get me," he begins chanting, rubbing his hands together anxiously. He walks away towards the machines, carrying a set of wires I realize he has hooked up to me. I notice his walk is similar to that of a spider's.

I begin to breathe hard, recognizing the familiar substance now. It's not in its purest, but it sure is a drug. Oh God, I can't go through this now. I can't…. I've got to get this out. I begin to whimper to myself, trying desperately to reach my now-immobile arm with my other hand. As I strain myself, the belt begins to cut into my skin, and I feel the burning sensation across my body.

Hot tears begin to spill out as I feel my system awaken to the drug. No… I can't… I can't succumb to this crap anymore… I promised… I promised Syaoran… I told him I'd be strong…

"Syaoran…" I cry, "Syaoran! SYAORAN!"

"Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet!" the man's screaming just as loudly, "They're going to hear! They're going to come! They're going to come and rip your head off and…"

"YOU SHUT UP!" I scream, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU GIVE ME!"

My screaming doesn't even faze him as he looks up at the monitors. "Yes, yes, it's working. It's working. I'm a genius. I'm a genius. I knew it. I knew it would work. It's working," he keeps muttering to himself.

I begin to pant, suddenly struck by a surge of pain.

More.

I need more.

I need more of this.

My eyes are losing focus as I strain against the belt, trying to break free, trying to stop myself. I grit my teeth as my skin breaks, sending sharp pains up my body. Then I freeze.

I feel a wave of memories, uncontrollably rushing to my head.

"_Do you want me to show you around?" Syaoran calls after my retreating back._

"_You're pushing your luck," I give a careful smile._

"Stop… it…" I hiss, gasping as I see the images on the monitors simultaneously as they play in my head. It hurts every time a new wave of images flood into me.

"_Why are you doing this?" I ask Touya as he rushes me towards the air hovers._

"_I'm your brother, idiot, why else would I be doing this?" he laughs._

Pain. Electrifying jolts of pure pain.

"_Who are you?" I ask the stranger before me._

"_I'm just another student at the Academy, like you," he replies with a smirk, "You need a fix?" He holds out a bag of beautifully white powder. _

"_What do you want me to do?" I smirk back, crossing my arms._

_He walks up to me, unbuckling his pants. "Whatever you do to all the other guys who offer you these things."_

_I silently kneel before him, glancing up at him once before taking him in my mouth…_

"Fuck… you…" I cough, "You're not going to watch every single screwed up aspect of my life from there, you son of a bitch! Do you hear me?" I scream at the man. But he doesn't even hear me. He keeps muttering about how big of a genius he is. I watch in horror as the next series of memories are displayed on the monitors.

"_Syaoran…" I breathe out, knowing full well that it's too late to go back… I'm fully naked in front of him, and there's nothing I can do anymore except to submit to him. He covers my mouth with his wordlessly, covering my sight with his hand. His other hand slides up my thigh, and soon, a finger is penetrating deep within me. And then another. I gasp, writhing in his hold, desperately trying to free my eyes from his hand… I want to see him… _

No. This isn't for anyone else to see. This is between Syaoran and me… We promised to keep it between ourselves… to never let anyone know… I whimper at the pain, both in my head and in my heart.

_Syaoran doesn't speak a single word. He's hurting me so much… I cry out as he violently pushes into me, and I grip his shoulders in futile support. My nails dig into his skin, but it doesn't even faze him. His hold on my hips tightens as he continues to thrust into me. I feel tears ready to splash out any moment. But I can't cry in front of him. I just can't…_

"DON'T LOOK AT IT!" I snap out of my daze, screaming at the top of my lungs.

There's an earsplitting crash as one of the monitors blow up. The man yells out, ducking for unnecessary cover and trembling from head to toe. I begin to see white dots before my eyes as I struggle to put my teeth over the closest belt I can reach, trying to gnaw my way out… Quickly, before I lose myself again…

However, I feel my binds suddenly fall limp, and I'm lifted up into a pair of familiar, strong arms. I feel lightheaded as I stare up at him in awe.

Syaoran has his gun activated and ready to shoot anything that bothers him, his eyes deadly and pissed off. "You're still thinking about _that_?" he asks me in a low voice, so quiet I nearly miss it.

I quickly avert my eyes. "Shut up… it just rushed into my head and I couldn't help it," I mumble, feeling dizzy. He wordlessly takes the needle out of my arm, earning a yelp from me.

"What the hell is this?" he frowns. Then he looks shocked. "Don't tell me-"

"I think so," I feel my eyes watering in shame. "I want to… I can't… I can't help but…" I falter, suddenly collapsing against him. "I can't move properly," I whimper, feeling my system rebel.

Syaoran suddenly is alert. Then he begins to shoot.

More piercing screams from the unidentified man as his machines are destroyed. However, that scream turns into something like a battle cry when he suddenly activates machine weapons that shoot out at Syaoran.

Swearing loudly, Syaoran roughly pushes me to the ground and moves to dodge, but a few of the hits mark his skin. He hisses angrily as blood spurts out of various spots on his shoulder and arm. I watch in horror from the floor as his eyes dilate in bloodlust and fury.

The next scenes are a blur to me, thanks to my condition. I watch Syaoran lunge towards the man, who screams and keys in more machines to attack. Syaoran can't dodge everything, even with his Vampire speed, and takes a few bloody hits. With each injury to him, I feel a sharp pain in my stomach, as if I want to throw up.

I whimper again, clutching my head. Why am I so screwed up? I should be helping him, not becoming a burden.

Since when have I become the extra baggage?

_Since you started out._

As I hear a part of myself say to me, I freeze.

I've been depending too much on Syaoran.

And now he's hurt. He's bleeding for me.

I am so messed up.

The battle comes to a close when Syaoran blows up nearly every machine in the room, cornering the man against a wall. The latter begins to tremble, falling to the ground.

"He's one of them. This one's one of them… So they're coming… they're coming for me… they want to kill me… they want me to cure them… but no, I won't do anything for them…" he begins rubbing his hands again in a menacing way.

Syaoran pauses suddenly in comprehension. "Who's "they"?"

"They're coming," he continues, "The experiments… they're coming… but they won't find me. They can't find me. But what if they do?" He begins to wail, "They're going to kill me. They're going to kill me!"

I breathe heavily in fatigue and comprehension, "Half-humans."

Syaoran's lip curls upwards in disgust. "Go to hell."

Without hesitation, he shoots straight at the man's head.

I watch the corpse fall limply to the floor with a sickening feeling.

Even in this state, I realize what this man was. A scientist who contributed to the half-human project… and until now, he's been hiding, paranoid about his safety from his own creations.

I shudder and clutch my head even more at the growing pain.

"Sakura, fight it. You've resisted it for years, and you can't give in now," I hear Syaoran's voice in my ear, trying to snap me out of it.

The corpse begins to blur in my sight, and I shut my eyes at the dizziness. "It hurts, Syaoran… I want to die…"

"Don't you dare say that," he spits out angrily, fully lifting me up to carry me in his arms, though wincing at the impact against his injuries, "Don't even think of saying that."

"Help me," I begin to cry, unable to withstand the pain. It's overwhelming me. I want more. I need more. I'm going to die. I'm going to go crazy.

I notice that we're out of my temporary prison now. We're back where we started, where the eerie "portrait" blinked at me.

He grabs my face and looks at me straight in the eyes. "What happened to the strong Sakura? The Sakura that was determined to come clean, to bring justice, to right her wrongs?"

A tear escapes my eyes. "I don't know," I whisper truthfully, reluctantly looking back at him.

He sighs, "I was afraid of that."

My breaths begin to quicken. "Syaoran, bite me," I breathe, clutching his bloody shirt.

"I'm not that hurt," he mutters.

I look at him. "I still want you to bite me," I say quietly, ashamed of myself… but unable to help it.

He glares hard at me. "You're crazy."

I manage a laugh. "Like you didn't know that."

He mutely caresses my throat, earning a shiver from me. "We're both in serious, deep trouble, Sakura. There's no turning back for us anymore…" his breaths quicken as he smells the inviting scent of my neck. "We're continuously falling."

"Hey, at least we're falling together," I smile genuinely through the haze in my head, reaching up to touch his face.

Syaoran chuckles. "You're right about that," he says bitterly.

Without any delay, Syaoran bites into me, delivering the unchanging kind of bliss. I shudder against him, feeling my sickly feeling fade away with each gulp of my blood. My grip on him tightens, and his on mine.

This is dangerous.

Almost too dangerous.

I know that… I know that I'm on the edge now… We're both on the edge.

All that's left for us is to fall… or to be saved by some miracle.

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**Chapter 14 – Penetration – End –**

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**Author's Note**: Dark chapter there! Woot. Crazy scientist… It was difficult MAKING him crazy. I wanted to make his dialogue realistically creepy and screwed up, which was very difficult, considering I don't watch many psychological-related horror films (in fact, I can't watch ANY horror films). I tried hard to come up with a kind of speech someone would have after being alone for so long. I mean, with nothing but rats and yourself alive in the immediate area, you'd be muttering to either yourself or the rats… which is extremely unhealthy for one's mind. And as for Sakura and Syaoran… they're both in some serious crap now, aren't they? XD

**And,** I have gotten myself into Vampire Knight, after so many mentions and references from reviewers… (I love it :D) and I did not see any similarities between my story and VK, other than the fact that there are vampires… But I did catch that similar dialogue people have been going about, and I'm going to change it so no one says it again XP But please stop comparing… This is my original story line, and it offends me a bit when it's constantly compared to an existing work.

**Please drop me a review to keep me going! **


	15. Chapter 15: Drug

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Thank you all so much for all those lovely reviews and your support! It means a lot to me :)

TERRIBLY, AGONIZINGLY SORRY for the extremely late update! I was in summer school this month going through the hell called "University Level Math." BLEGH. I wasn't going to take that crap in day school, so I sacrificed a month of headwrenching, gutwrenching pain to spare me from taking it for a semester. ANYWAYS, SO SORRY for the late update, and thanks so much for sticking with this story :D

And let me clear up some things… (it seems that my way of explaining things through implications has faltered)

1) **Sakura will NOT become a werewolf.** She was merely scratched, not bitten. I will never, ever, ever make her into some furry, salivating wolf. (No offense to Remus Lupin intended)

2) When the scientist injected the needle into Sakura, I was implying that he **experimented with illegal drugs** to create what he did. And since we all know Sakura was a druggie, she HAD previously used that drug… you don't have to know WHAT drug it specifically is, just that Sakura will never be COMPLETELY over quitting drugs.

3) It was the **scientist looking through the hole** in the painting when Sakura saw it blink.

4) Oh, and the bit of the memory that was shown by the scientist was Sakura and Syaoran's infamous one-night stand. Hence the "This is between me and Syaoran only" thing.

And a side note: I hope you guys read the little quotes I include after each chapter title and before the main story… I choose it with care :D

Thanks once more for all your positive feedback and patience! :)

_**EDITTED (AUG 2008) ACCORDING TO THE RATING CHANGE FROM T TO M.**_

**PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! Reviews motivate me to update more often** :D

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ஐ**+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 15 – Drug**

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"There is no such thing as chance; And what to us seems merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny."

_- Friedrich von Schiller_

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_My eyes are stinging from the tears… How can Touya not cry? We're not even standing in front of our parents' bodies… We can't even give them a proper funeral… All we have left of them are pictures and memories… _

I moan to myself, clutching my aching head and trying to block out the memories flooding uncontrollably into my mind. The experiment drug that the scientist injected into me is still affecting me… It's been hours and I'm still suffering. It burns… it hurts like hell…

_The reflection in the bathroom mirror shows a girl with a contorted, pained expression. Emerald eyes squinted, lips twisted, breaths coming in ragged gasps… Hands clutching the sink so hard that it's turning white… Is this me? I laugh bitterly to myself as I shakily pull out a bag of white powder from my pocket. I need to escape…_

"Dammit," I breathe, writhing on the bed. From the corner of my eye, I can see Syaoran with his head bowed down, hands tangling in his own hair. He's still weak from all the hits he took, and I'm in no condition to give him blood yet… Not until I overcome this crap.

_I drop to the couch of the living room, laughing hysterically. Where am I again? Oh, yeah, some party that a random guy invited me to. I wipe my cheeks with an unsteady hand, brushing away some of the residue white powder. The music sounds out of place, though it was so irritatingly loud a minute ago. Everyone seems to be growing a few more heads or limbs, and I giggle at the sight. They look even more pathetic than I do._

"_Hey, if it isn't Sakura Kinomoto," a guy grins at me stupidly. He looks like he's as high as me. "Care to join us for a joint?" He points to a group of guys and girls huddled in a corner._

"_Sure, why not," I reply without a second thought. Do I care if this guy just wants to rape me? Not particularly. I accept the rolled up paper, leaning in towards the guy with the lighter._

I vaguely hear Syaoran sliding to lie down on the couch he was sitting in. I bury my face in my pillow to muffle the groan that escapes my mouth.

_I watch as Touya grips his gun tighter in his hands. "Sakura, you need to stay close me, okay? I'm going to take you to the Barastelle. It's safer there." I nod and glance towards where the Barastelle is, noting that it's not too far from where we are now. He grabs my hand and begins to run, and I struggle to keep up with him, trying not to look at all the corpses and blood on the ground. But I can't help but notice the odd, stray head dismembered from the body, the body of a man, torn apart to the point of it being almost unrecognized as a human, the haunting shrieks of women, grieving and dying…_

Oh God, this bit of my memory was all a blur to me… I was too scared to death to be able to remember it clearly, yet now… I'm seeing it. I bite my lip and grip the sheets below me.

_Our eyes meet. The Vampire's blood red eyes and mine. I feel a deadly chill go down my spine, and I feel no safer when Touya begins shooting at other Vampires on my other side. __There are sounds of ripping flesh and agonizing screams. But I tune those sounds out as__ I stare at the Vampire with crimson eyes, captivated yet frozen. He gives a crooked smile before bringing a finger to his lips and winking. With that he disappears into the chaos, leaving me to snap out of my daze._

Leonard?

My eyes widen at the memory, causing me to tense in alarm. What the hell's Leonard doing in my memories? I feel another rush in my head, yet it's more subtle and weaker than before…

"_Most half-humans have shown to develop some kind of madness… from tyranny to extreme narcissism to whatever," Touya was whispering in my ear, "It's got to do with some weird thing in their DNAs. Apparently that could have been a factor to why they suddenly broke free." _

_I look at him, not really fully comprehending his words. The events of the Crimson Night were still taking a toll on me. "Well, we know they're mad," I whispered, hugging my knees._

I had nearly forgotten this little piece of fact… Touya's words had basically flowed into my ear and out the other.

I'm pretty sure Syaoran already knows, even if I just figured it out.

What does he think of the fact that he's most likely going to turn into some crazy tyrant if he doesn't be careful? Well, at least we know he can't be any more narcissistic than he already is.

"_Here's to our group!" Eriol slurs drunkenly, grinning like a fool he is, "Our own little team of Hunters and Analysts! We are the champions! We are invincible!" He begins to bark out his laughter and downs his bottle of beer. Meilin cheers loudly, while Tomoyo giggles uncontrollably. _

_Syaoran rolls his eyes and chugs his own drink, putting his arm around my shoulder. "Who'd believe that this monkey is actually a brilliant Werewolf Hunter?" he mutters with a smirk. I laugh, opening another bottle. _

"_Hey, Li, I heard that," shouts Eriol, delivering a set of napkins across the table in Syaoran's direction. _

"_Hiiragizawa," Syaoran snickers, "Cut the crap. Who throws fucking napkins at people? Come and try to punch me like a real man."_

_Eriol grins stupidly. "Yeah? I've waited for the day to pummel you to the ground, Syaorannn…" _

_I watch as Eriol collapses headfirst onto the couch, laughing out loud when he snores loudly._

_Syaoran joins in on the laughter. "Eriol can't handle more than five bottles at a time," he notes._

My heart clenches tightly when I see the nostalgic faces of my friends. I close my eyes, begging for God to end this misery. Tomoyo and Eriol… Did they get back to San Francisco okay? Did anyone notice their detour from "vacation"? Did anyone see them meet us?

I think I'll actually die if something happened to them.

I don't want to lose anyone…

I'd rather die myself.

There are more waves of blurred and fading memories replying in my head, and I begin to regain full control of my senses. The drug is wearing off… finally.

"Syaoran," I call out quietly, flinching at its loudness in the long silence. The sound echoes in my head, sounding unreal after all of the dream-like conversations that occured within my memories.

I hear him shuffling to his feet, and soon he is lying down on the bed beside me.

"Sober now?" he whispers, eyes still closed.

I give a bitter smile. "I think so." My eyes fall upon his bandaged shoulder, the scratches on his bare chest, various cuts on his hands that's covering his eyes now… A tremendous amount of guilt weighs down my heart at the sight. I pull myself up to sit up, lowering the neck of my shirt.

"Syaoran, go ahead," I say to him.

"Shut up, I don't want to get high off of you," he scowls.

A sharp pain hits me simultaneously with his words, even though I know he wants to protect me. I bite my lip and turn to get off the bed. Suddenly, Syaoran's arms wrap around my waist, and I'm held back from standing. My heart picks up its pace, and I can hear it thumping rapidly.

"I'm sorry," he locks me in place and pulls my body against his. I can feel his head resting against my back, and his arms tightening around me. "If I had been able to get rid of Stella that first time we saw her, we may have just went on with things as the way they should have been."

He sounds so torn, so bitter.

But if Syaoran hadn't been bitten… would I have been able to spend every moment with him, like now?

A sharp pain strikes my heart as I realize that this is the only way we'll be together.

We would have continued on with a platonic relationship if we had stayed at the Barastelle. Perhaps I wouldn't have recognized my love for Syaoran if this hadn't happened.

Syaoran's my drug.

I can't stop being with him without being empty.

He needs to know that.

I don't want him running away from me.

I can't have him gone.

I need to bind him to me. I'm the worst, I know, but without Syaoran, I don't think I can go on anymore.

I need to bind him to me.

Clutching my chest with one hand, I place the other on Syaoran's face.

"Syaoran," I whisper, turning in his arms to face him. I take his face in both my hands. He slowly looks up at me, almost wary. My lips are trembling as I try to grasp the words I need to say. So many emotions, so little words to choose from. My hands are now on either side of Syaoran's face, locking him in place so that I could stare at him. Syaoran's expression changes, and he looks much more alert and torn than before.

"Sakura…" he shakes his head, as if realizing what I'm about to say.

I need to bind him to me.

"I love you," the words escape my mouth as soon as they form. It happens so naturally that it doesn't even process through my mind.

There's silence.

I watch as Syaoran's eyes widen in shock. Without giving him time to digest my confession, I lean down and bring my lips against his. Ignoring his lack of response, I push him down on the bed, straddling him. I need him. I _want_ him. I continue to kiss him, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. A familiar shiver of anticipation channels through my body as my fingers touch his well-toned chest. My tongue trails down from his face to his neck, lingering to make a bold mark on his collarbone. His breath hitches in his throat as I bring my hands down to undo his belt.

To my surprise, he suddenly reaches out to touch my eyes.

And I realize that tears are streaming down my face.

I let out a shuddering breath before bringing myself up to face him.

"Syaoran," I breathe, "I love you."

I kiss his upper lip.

"I love you."

His lower lip.

"I love you."

His lips.

"I lo-"

He abruptly cuts me off by crushing his mouth against mine. His tongue swiftly invades past my lips, urgently silencing my words. It's as if he can't take it anymore – he can't bear to hear those words from me again. I ignore the jabbing pain in my heart and give in to Syaoran. He turns us over so that he's pinning me down beneath him, not breaking contact with my lips. His tongue tangles with mine, probing and exploring... He throws my shirt aside, and I hear myself moaning, gasping, begging for more.

Syaoran brings his hands around my back to unclasp my bra, instantly bringing his mouth over to the newly exposed skin. Moaning, I fumble with his belt before finally loosening it enough. Just as I pull his pants down, Syaoran is sliding my own jeans and underwear past my legs. Using my feet to free myself from them, I take the opportunity to let my hands roam across his body, savoring the taste of him, his scent, his breathing…

His hand travels up my thighs, soon disappearing from my view and causing me to cry out his name. I grab his face and lead it to my throat, exhaling out loud when he bites without hesitation. The blood soaks into the sheets beneath me, pooling around my neck and shoulders. I watch as his amber eyes dilate, losing themselves in the scent of blood and sex. Both of our breaths are coming out in ragged gasps now. I need him so bad that it hurts. It _burns_.

"Take me," I breathe, "Take me, Syaoran."

He shuts his eyes and mutely complies, spreading my legs apart with steady hands. He pushes into me, and I tangle my fingers in his hair, claiming his lips again. But the kiss doesn't last long, because we both have to pull away to breathe at each thrust. I feel every inch of him body in every curve of my body. I love this feeling. I want him to be with me always. I know that this is cowardly of me to do... trying to bind Syaoran to me like this. Because I know he won't resist. He can't resist, because he doesn't want me to feel rejected or hurt. I'm using this weakness against him, and I know I'm horrible.

Syaoran groans loudly and tilts my face to the side, biting into my throat again. The feeling of ecstasy from his bite and the bliss of him inside of me... It's so perfect that I want to cry.

Soon we're getting lost in our own, dangerous world, forgetting about everyone else, shutting out everything else outside of _us._

All I can hear is our rough breathing; all I can see is him; all I can feel is him.

All I want to care about is him.

I don't bother to wait for any words from Syaoran, because I know he won't say anything.

He won't utter a damn word to me.

I know that.

But I don't care if he doesn't love me.

Another tear escapes my eyes in sync with the cry from my mouth. I arch my back in time with his thrust, desperately clutching his back for support.

…That's a lie.

It hurts me that he won't say anything.

My heart twists everytime I realize he may not love me back.

But for now… I just need him to be with me.

Repeating his name over and over again, I surrender to the deadly, sweet sensation, allowing it to consume me for the night.

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Morning.

The sun's stinging my skin, and I instantly bury my exposed legs in the crumpled sheets.

With a moan, I toss and turn, squinting my eyes open to find the spot beside me empty and cold.

Figures.

I smile bitterly to myself.

It's always like this with Syaoran. It's as if he realizes how stupid he was for giving in to me each time, and goes off to mourn his stupidness.

Sighing, I force myself off the comfortable bed and into the bathroom. It takes me a while, since the area in between my legs is extremely sore. I can't help but grin as I wobble into the shower. I turn on the water, engulfing myself in the warm water to wake me up completely. My eyes close as I lean against the cold tile wall.

I told him.

I told him I loved him.

I open my eyes.

I fricking told him I loved him.

"Fuck," I curse myself.

I hit my head hard against the wall, grimacing at the pain channeling through my nerves.

I slowly finish my shower, stepping out to wrap a towel around myself.

I need to find Syaoran.

Drying my hair with another towel, I step out into the balcony, trying to figure out where we are.

I see the back of shabby restaurants and pubs.

Lovely, the balcony is facing away from the main street.

Just as I'm about to turn, I hear a familiar laughter from below.

My head snaps back to the balcony, instantly craning over towards the source of the noise.

A dreadful, sickening feeling overwhelms me. I want to throw up.

I see Syaoran and Stella standing in a dark corner.

Syaoran is biting into Stella's neck.

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**Chapter 15 – Drug – End –**

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**Author's Note**: I hastily finished this chapter, since I don't want to keep you waiting ANY LONGER.

Yes, that red-eyed vampire in Sakura's memories WAS Leonard. ;) Since that night was a blur for her, with the help of that 'drug,' she recalled it clearly… and you'll know why I showed you that bit later on in the story :D

And YES, I AM EVIL. Mwhahah. Stella just keeps coming back, doesn't she?

How did you like the Sakura-Syaoran "interaction" scene? (you know what I mean XD) This plot is changing everytime I write a new chapter. I JUST changed the ending of the story, too. : )

Also, I have recently written a DREAM NOVEL for Vampire Knight XD A guilty pleasure I just HAD to indulge in after discovering what they were. I'm satisfied now X3 The link is on my profile, please take a look if you're interested :) (Note that I wrote it for fun, and Dream Novels are meant to be kind of clichéd)

_**REVISED NOTE: I am very inexperienced at writing steamy scenes XD; But since so many of the readers insisted for more "details," and since I feel like it is sort of necessary to the story, I have edited this chapter. I'm also going to go back and edit the previous chapters, and I'll let you know when they're updated! Next chapter should be uploaded sometime next week!**_

**Please drop me a review to keep me going! **


	16. Chapter 16: Obsession

**Disclaimer: **The characters of CCS belong to CLAMP. The idea of this plot and this kind of future world belongs to me, Waltz Alone.

**Short Summary:** Syaoran gazes at me with shame and struggle. I close my eyes and pull him towards me, whispering, "It's alright…" Nothing more is said as his sharp teeth plunge into my throat, filling the air with the scent of blood…

**Full Summary: **Sakura is a Vampire Hunter in a future world where scientists have tampered with human DNAs to create half-humans. Five years ago, every experimental half-human broke free from the labs and cells, blending into the human population. Therefore, it is now up to the Hunters to track them down and kill them. Sakura believes it is right to hunt down vampires… until a horrifying incident awakens her from the pretence of it all – she slowly uncovers the truth behind how and why half-humans were created, and why they escaped. With fellow Hunters and half-humans hot on her tail, she sets out with her partner, Syaoran, with a goal to discover the truth and define what's right and wrong.

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Action / Adventure

**Author's Note:** Thank you all so much for all those lovely reviews and your support! It means a lot to me :) I'm going to be very busy with school this year, so please understand my tardy updated T-T

**NOTE:** Never have I stated that Syaoran needs Stella's blood to not become insane, as it is in Vampire Knight. The world I'm trying to portray is entirely different from Vampire Knight's, and I described in the second chapter that Syaoran needs a **CONSTANT blood source** to not go crazy, and it doesn't matter who it is. Syaoran is simply drawn to Stella's blood because she's his maker.

**NOTE2:** The majority of the readers HAVE voted that it should be M. I'll be adding more details to previous chapters to suit the new M rating.

**MUSIC:** And if you're into Korean music, listen to **Big Bang's Day by Day** with this story. I LOVE the song, and I think it goes well with this entire plot. :D (the lyrics are awesome) If you're into Japanese music, check out **YUI's Tomorrow's Way**. And for the English music listeners, **Evanescence's My Immortal**. These three songs suit this story well, I think. :D

Thanks once more for all your positive feedback and patience! :)

**PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! Reviews motivate me to update more often** :D

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ஐ **+Vampire Hunter+ **ஐ

**Chapter 16 - Tears**

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"The sin of pride may be a small or a great thing in someone's life, and hurt, vanity a passing pinprick, or a self-destroying or ever murderous obsession."

_- Iris Murdoch _

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I stare at the sight before me, my heart suddenly too loud for my own ears.

Clutching the towel tightly around my body, I let out a shuddering gasp as I see Stella passionately grab Syaoran's hair, pulling him even closer to her throat. I can't see Syaoran's face. I could only see his hands gripping Stella's shoulders.

He's holding her as intensely as he was holding me last night.

My mind is blank.

Stella is laughing again, murmuring some words I can't decipher at the moment. Syaoran's lower, shorter reply follows. I literally feel my heart ripping apart.

I can't stand this anymore.

Shutting my eyes tightly, I rush back into the room, not caring that my towel dropped from my body. My eyes are stinging with angry tears, and my mind is now in a blind rage. I refuse to cry. I refuse to shed tears for them.

_I want to kill her._

_I want to kill him._

_I want to kill me._

My legs storm into the bathroom, and my hands move according to their own will. I'm all but fuming as I feel my hands wildly search the drawers until they finally find what they want: a pair of scissors. My mind is filled with images of me spilling my own blood onto the tiles, to the point where I collapse onto the tiles, colorless and lifeless. I can see Syaoran walking in, terror dawning over his face, his mouth still stained with Stella's blood… What will he do then? Follow me in death to atone for what he's done to me? Will he take the scissors from my dead hands and end his own life? Will he just go off to be with Stella?

_What the hell am I thinking?_

I come to an abrupt halt. My eyes suddenly refocus, taking in the situation I'm in. My hand is an inch away from my outstretched forearm, the sharp blade ready to tear my skin apart. My breaths are ragged and irregular. I see myself in the mirror. Naked, kneeling over my own arm, a moment away from ripping it open.

_What the fuck am I doing?_

Though my hands begin to tremble, I can't let go of the scissors.

My eyes widen as my hands don't listen to me. They won't move away from my arm. It's as if all my nerve endings have been cut off from my fingers. One finger digs into the blade, sending droplets of thick, red blood onto the tiles. I don't feel the pain. I don't feel anything. Silent tears finally escape my eyes.

"Sakura."

I flinch at the deep voice. But I can't quite move yet. My lips are quivering.

Surprisingly gentle hands free my fingers from the scissors, tossing them far away from me. The same hands drape a nearby robe over my shoulders, pulling me upwards. I catch a whiff of a clean, crisp scent.

"Leonard," I manage to whisper.

"Dear God, you're a mess," he raises his eyebrows, "I leave you for a few weeks, and you're already suicidal?"

I don't even have the mind to laugh. I feel myself being settled onto the bed, and I don't protest when he lies down beside me, pulling me into his arms. I even let him suck on the cut on my finger. I watch him clean the blood away with a blank look. I vaguely remember Syaoran doing the same thing when I cut myself with the newspaper. It seems so long ago.

"You know, my offer still stands," he muses.

The offer of him fucking me senseless before turning me into a Vampire? I don't think so. I want to say this, but I can't bring myself to speak.

He sighs. "You can't really blame Syaoran for going off with Stella. The poor bloke was on the verge of going on a massacre to quench his thirst," he strokes my hair, "If he tried to satisfy his increasing thirst with you, you wouldn't be here right now."

My lip twitches, and I'm able to say, "I know that."

"Do you?" Leonard asks skeptically.

"I do," I finally snap, bolting up and away from his touch. "I know damn well that Syaoran and Stella have some damn bond between them, and it can't be helped. But that doesn't mean it doesn't piss the hell out of me. What's worse is that he had sex with me for the entire night, as if he loved me, and now he's off drinking off of that _woman_!" I choke out the last few words.

Leonard stares at me. Then he begins to laugh. "Oh, Sakura, what a fine Vampire you would make. So emotional, so jealous, so…" he pauses, "Unstable."

I glare at him. "Don't you assume that I'm going to just offer myself up to you like a piece of meat, Vampire! I'm not going to let you do what you want with me!" I begin to scream.

He just continues to chuckle. "How ironic is this? You keep refusing to become a Vampire, yet you already think like one," Leonard's crimson eyes gleam eerily as he gazes at me, "Vampires refuse to yield to anyone. Naturally, if there was love or sex involved, that's a different story," he chuckles again, "And every Vampire has an extreme, reckless, possessive nature."

"You contradict yourself," I hiss, "You_ yield_ to me all the time; you let Stella _chase_ after Syaoran; you don't even have the _guts_ to take me by force."

Suddenly, a terrifying look flashes across Leonard's red eyes, causing me to freeze in fear. I'd originally planned on insulting him further, but the words are stuck in my throat.

He smiles dangerously, revealing his deadly fangs. He strokes my face with mocking gentleness. "Miss Sakura Kinomoto," he purrs, "I don't _yield_ to you. I just like toying with you. I merely _allow_ Stella to go after Syaoran because all she wants to do with him is to _play_. And frankly, I_ do_ have the _guts _to take you by force." As if to reinforce his statement, Leonard seizes me by the chin and throws me on the bed beneath him. A violent jolt of fear rushes through my veins at the sight of him. I am utterly terrified of this Vampire. He's beautiful – an eerie kind of beauty with his dangerous, crimson eyes, unshakeable authority and confidence… He's a lot like how Syaoran used to be. "But I am not your everyday Vampire," he smirks, caressing my lips, "I am King over all those brash weaklings. I can control myself better than _humans_."

I shudder as he eyes my nearly-naked body. He gives an easy laugh before stepping off of me. "Don't underestimate my self-control, though. I think it's best you don't forget that I am dangerous. I'm much more dangerous than your Syaoran will ever be," he pauses, "Although to you_ personally,_ he may be the more lethal one." I exhale sharply at this statement, unable to stop the trembling of my lips.

As he turns to leave, my brain suddenly clicks. Ignoring my newly instilled fear of Leonard, I speak up. "Leonard," I call out hoarsely, "I saw you on the Crimson Night, didn't I?"

He pauses at the balcony door. Slowly, he turns around to face me. "Pardon me?"

I repress the shivers threatening to break out at his dangerously sweet tone. "I remember seeing you. There's no mistaking those red eyes."

He stares at me for a long time before finally chuckling. "Now that you mention it, I think I do recall seeing a very frightened emerald-eyed girl."

I swallow hard, dreading to say this. "Do you remember seeing… my parents?" I force out, "My father had the same hair color as me and wore glasses. My mother had silver hair and the same eyes as me."

Leonard's eyes bore into mine, and I desperately try to read his mind. But I can't decipher what he's thinking. It seems like eternity passes. He lets out a quiet laugh. "How could I forget seeing that woman? She was stunning," he smiles, "Do you really want to know?"

I bite my lip and silently nod, clearing out my doubts and worries.

"I first saw them when I was still in that stinking lab," he says bitterly, "They were tremendously outraged over... What they were pissed over is not important right now," he smiles a bit, "Anyways, your mother, being the beauty she was, began to beat the daylights out of all the scientists in the lab. Stunned all of us into silence," he chuckles at the memory. My lower lip begins to tremble. "When your parents left, the scientists were beyond livid. And I heard them say these exact words: "They must be silenced.""

I stare at him.

"Then I saw them again on the Crimson Night," he pauses, "They were murdered. Shot to death by a group of Hunters, just before… the _Night_ unfolded."

I continue to stare at him. As I digest his words, my eyes widen in horror.

ஐ

_**The Assassination Order of Fujitaka and Nadeshiko Kinomoto.**_

_**Charges:**__ Traitors of the Barastelle, revolted against the General, attempted to assault the General, defended the half-humans, possible perpetrators of the Crimson Night._

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I vividly remember the words on the documents. I had them imprinted into my mind the moment I saw them.

"B-Before… they broke out?" I manage to ask.

"Before," he confirms, watching me collapse to the floor.

"They… They didn't… perpetrate the Crimson Night?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Of course they didn't," he scoffs, "Your parents made quite an impression on everyone at that lab on the day they confronted the scientists. They were good people. And coming from me, that is something," he flashes a smirk.

Tears fall out of my eyes. But this time, they're happy tears. My parents are guiltless. They didn't do anything wrong. They're _good_. "But why were they murdered?" I finally whisper.

Leonard hesitates to answer. "Because they were good," he finally says, "The Barastelle was corrupted. It still is. That bloody General Churchill needs to go to hell."

Did the General blame my parents as perpetrators of the Night to somehow… _justify _murdering them? My blood boils at the thought. I clench my fists, angrily wiping my tears away. I pick myself up, securing the robe around my body. But I'm also so relieved – relieved that my parents are innocent. It's as if a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulder.

I walk up to Leonard and wrap my arms around him. "Thank you," I whisper.

He chuckles and pats my back. "It's time for us to part," he plants a seemingly innocent kiss on my forehead, "Don't do anything rash while I'm gone."

"Get out of here," I say with a small smile. After Leonard's gone, I let out a sigh and slump down onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

My head is hurting.

What's right and what's wrong?

Who's good and who's evil?

I so quickly believed that my parents were guilty… but they turned out to be innocent.

I thought that the Barastelle was the only good… but it's coming after Syaoran and me, even though we didn't do anything to harm others.

One would assume that Leonard is evil… but he's not. After all, he came all the way here to stop me from doing something stupid, going as far as to clearing out my confusions.

I bury my face in my hands, laughing quietly to myself. What a predicament.

Then I hear the door opening, and familiar footsteps walking into the room.

I don't bother to look at Syaoran as he sits on the floor, leaning against the bed. If I move my feet slightly, I could touch his shoulder. I feel his warmth calling to my skin. I bite my lip, slowly moving my hands away from my face.

There's suffocating silence.

Unable to bear it, I finally open my mouth. "Satiated now?" I keep my eyes closed, cursing myself for being so blunt.

Syaoran chuckles humorlessly. "Very," he murmurs darkly.

My patience snaps, and I bolt upwards to glare down at him. "If Stella is able to satisfy you so much, why don't you just go off with her? I'm sure she'll be a better fuck than I'll ever be-" I let out a strangled scream as Syaoran tackles me down to the bed, trapping my body beneath his.

""_A better fuck_," Sakura?" he hisses angrily, "Is that what I should be caring about? Do you honestly think that I'm such a fucked up bastard, to go off doing another girl right after I've slept with another?" His eyes are livid; I can't do anything but keep watching them. His hold on me tightens considerably. "You're such a kid. Can't you stop to consider the reasons for my actions? Do you think I submitted to that vampire because I could help it? I couldn't fucking help it, Sakura!"

I shudder as his yelling ends, bringing another moment of heavy silence. The weight of his words presses down against me, bringing attention to my wet eyes. I open my mouth then close it again. I can't trust myself to speak anymore. Instead I just watch his flaming eyes, marveling and fearing the power in them.

"You say you love me?" he scoffs, adorning a wistful and bitter expression that breaks my heart, "You don't _love _me, Sakura. You're _obsessed _with me. Like a baby animal follows whatever it first lays its eyes upon as its parent, you're clinging to me. You so-called love for me is nothing but an obsession!"

Syaoran's voice pierces through my heart, taking my breath away. My lower lip trembles. I can't speak, because I'm afraid of what might come out of my mouth. _Obsession_? It's true that I'm obsessed with Syaoran… to the point of it being almost unhealthy. But…

"Isn't it the same thing?" I finally choke out, and Syaoran looks at me incredulously. "Love is a form of obsession, and obsession is a form of love. Is it wrong to be both obsessed and in love?"

He stares at me as if I've just suggested the most ubsurd thing of all time.

"Do you love me, Syaoran?" my voice was a mere whisper now, "Do you love me at all?"

His eyes widen at my question. I hold my ground, clenching my fists in anticipation.

A dreadful silence, and he opens his mouth to speak… but no words escape, because a loud noise startles us both. Our eyes come to the source of the sound, and realize that the phone that Eriol and Tomoyo gave us is ringing. A few seconds later, and Syaoran whips the phone open and puts it on speakerphone mode. Saved by the bell. I smile bitterly to myself.

"Yeah?" he says hoarsely.

It's Eriol. "Come back to San Francisco as soon as you can. We've got definite proof on the Barastelle's schemes."

Syaoran and I look at each other. "What kind of proof, Eriol?"

There's a hesitant pause. "I shouldn't really say anything over the phone. Once you get here, I'll explain. But this is good stuff. Hurry your asses over here."

It's good news, for sure. But something is making me uneasy. "Where's Tomoyo? Shouldn't she be screaming with joy beside you or something?" I demand, half-joking and half-serious.

This time, there's a notable pause. Syaoran frowns. "You bastard, did you already have your First Big Fight or something?"

"Shut your trap!" Eriol recovers, retorting back like his usual self, "We'll meet you at Sakura's house. No one checks there anymore."

"Be sure to have made up with her by then," Syaoran snickers, hanging up before Eriol can shout at him.

For the next moment, we both stare at the phone in disbelief. Is it finally ending?

Did Eriol and Tomoyo manage to find such a persuasive piece of evidence that they decided we should come right away? They trusted us and came to help us; it's time to return the favour.

Syaoran speaks up. "Somehow, I'm getting a bad feeling about this," he admitted, echoing my own thoughts, "But we can't hide forever, I guess. Either we die trying now or die trying later."

"Don't try to change the subject," I snapped, roughly pushing him down onto the bed, towering over him in anger, "Answer my question, Syaoran Li." I realize we're back into the same position as we were in moments ago.

He stares right back at me, his amber eyes devoid of any emotion. His hands suddenly pull my pants down, soon after capturing my face and bringing me dangerously close to him. "I've told you once that men are like wolves," he breathes into my ear, a finger travelling up my back, "Do you think that I could have kept my hands off of you until you initiated things after _that night_ if I didn't care for you in the slightest?"

He's avoiding the question. I can't be satisfied with this kind of answer. I know that he cares for me, but does he love me the way I love him? I feel like I completely know Syaoran, yet sometimes I feel like he's a total stranger. What is he thinking? What is he feeling? I want to know. I need to know.

An unexpected sound escapes my mouth as his finger moves within me. The next moment, I've surrendered to his lips and touches, unable to do anything else. There's a more desperate edge to the way he moves against me, the way he covers my eyes as he pushes himself in. It's as if he doesn't want me to see him. He doesn't want me to completely know him.

I ignore the jabbing pain in my heart. I ignore my imaginations of his lips whispering that he loves me into my ears, right this moment. I know that when we head out to San Francisco, we will either fail miserably or miraculously succeed. I don't even know how we're going to "succeed" in our situation, but how can I have hope if I believe that there's only failure for us?

And so I let him take me for what may be the last time.

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**Chapter 16 - Obsession – End –**

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**Author's Note**: I had to RUSH x1000 this chapter because school hit me before I realized… So it might be a little weird… but better than nothing XD (gets kicked away) It might be a little all over the place... (stops talking)

And… Oh dear. Is it just me or has this become really psychological? Sakura has developed into something I hadn't really anticipated on – a psycho. YOU THINK I'M JOKING, I'M REALLY NOT! I guess it just came naturally, the whole mental imbalance thing. I mean, she WAS pretty unstable in the past. As I progressed, she became like this. And Syaoran became an asshole, at least in Sakura's eyes. But it should be evident now that Syaoran's just as insecure as Sakura is. He thinks that Sakura's just OBSESSED with him, not in love with him. But little does he know that obsession is a form of love, and love is a form of obsession… (ok, enough with the riddles.)

Leonard isn't that bad of a guy now, is he? My initial theme for this story was the whole "What's good, what's bad, who's good, who's evil" kind of thing. Hopefully the readers like Leonard more now, despite my horrible naming sense for his character. (Leonard and Stella are the only Italian sounding names I can think of) I like him more than Syaoran at the moment. It's so easy making Syaoran a bastard XD

**NOTE:** I've been trying to think of a better way to end this story than the way I originally planned it to me, and I'm stuck… So if you want to help me, please PM or leave a review about **how you think the story should end!** That way I can gather info and try to put the pieces together.

**Please drop me a review to keep me going! **


	17. Chapter 17: Friends

**Note:** Sorry for the delay in updating this story… D: It's already been 3 years since I started writing this! I kind of tried to continue writing this story numerous times, only to scrap it soon afterwards… but right now I feel like I need to sharpen up my writing skills a bit, and this story has the most potential and number of readers demanding that I finish it… =p Quite frankly, I scrapped the original direction that the story was heading towards because I didn't like it, and I've been suffering a writer's block ever since… And I have been trying to think of ways I can make this an actual story with original characters, as I basically made my own Sakura and Syaoran… just used their names and physical appearances. Real life has taken complete hold of me, and I need a breather for a bit! Maybe I can twist this and submit it to get into the creative writing course next year or something… So without further delay, I give you the next chapter (and some fanservice)!

On a side note…. THANKS FOR THE ONE THOUSAND REVIEWS! This is a first for me, and I'm really touched to receive so much love! :)

**P.S.** First it was Vampire Knight, and now people keep comparing this story to Twilight… What exactly makes this story anything close to Twilight? I feel like people just group stories together because of the vampire element, even though the content is drastically different. Let me just make it clear that vampires in this story are scientifically justifiable, and don't twinkle in the sun like Edward Cullen… nor is this story inspired by Vampire Knight. This is my story. :)

**Disclaimer:** CLAMP owns the actual characters of Cardcaptor Sakura. I own the story and how the characters turned out to be within the story.

**Music:** Almost forgot about this. I'm thinking… **Big Bang - Tell Me Goodbye** (Japanese), **Hamasaki Ayumi – MOON **(Japanese), **Seohyun (Girls Generation) – It's Okay if I'm Hurt **(Korean).

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**ஐ****Vampire Hunter****ஐ**

**Chapter**** 17**** – ****Friends**

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"...ah, but what can we take along into the other realm? Not the art of looking, which is learned so slowly, and nothing that happened here… The sufferings, then. And, above all, the heaviness, and the long experience of love."

_The Ninth Duino Elegy, Rainer Maria Rilke_

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"Ah…"

I gasp out heavily as Syaoran forces me onto my knees, clutching my hips and taking me from behind. I've been at my limit for a while now; I can see sunlight peeping in through the closed curtains. I've had enough, yet I haven't had nearly enough yet. I hate and love the way he makes me feel like this. My hands are curling into fists, the bed sheets crumbling in between my fingers as I bite my lips to prevent myself from crying out. As if noticing this, he suddenly slaps my ass, causing me to release my strangled cry.

"You son of a…" I'm cut off as he blocks my mouth with his hand, slightly pulling my head backwards. I bite him in retaliation, but he largely ignores it, only increasing the intensity of his thrusts. His other hand reaches to trace patterns on my most sensitive spot, making me involuntarily curve into his touch. He always is able to make me feel this way; like I'm going to both melt and combust into flames; like I'm going to laugh and cry simultaneously; like I'm savouring the world's sweetest delicacy then being strangled with the deadliest poison.

I feel my neck tingling as Syaoran's lips draw against it. His thirst has been steadily increasing, to the point that I sometimes feel true danger. But then again, a normal person would see the threat in offering a vampire blood in the first place. I sigh, almost blissfully, as fangs penetrate my skin and draw blood. I feel even more of a rush when I realize that this may well be the last time I will be intimate with Syaoran.

Again, I am reminded how fucked up we both are.

I smirk slightly at this thought.

He's a sadist, I'm a masochist. We willingly take the respective positions as a predator and prey. How is that for compatibility?

It isn't before long that all coherent thought exits my mind and is replaced with a euphoric, ecstatic sensation in which I shut my eyes and breathe roughly into his hand. Finally, Syaoran also comes to a still as well, slumping slightly against my sweaty back. When I finally escape his hold, I lie down against the mattress and glance towards the window, calming myself down and opening the black curtains.

We're back in San Francisco, where it all began.

People are moving about on the streets and towards the air tunnels, cars are zooming by everywhere, advertisements are flashing in every direction. Rain is falling from the dark sky, cleansing the streets and buildings. Nothing has changed; it's still a technology-savvy, crowded city. Yet the way the city appears in my eyes has drastically changed since the last time I was here. Nothing and no one in this city seem to be affected by my personal turmoil; everyone is minding their business as always, bustling about and hurrying to tend to their own matters.

We're fully aware that we probably walked into an obvious trap, and that Eriol was probably blackmailed somehow into revealing our whereabouts. But it's not like we can keep running away forever, and we can't just ignore our best friend. If we're going to put an end to this fight, it has to start now.

To top it off, we're at Syaoran's apartment; we know we are supposed to meet Eriol (and the ambushing Barastelle officials) at my place, but we decided to relish in our nostalgic memories of home before walking into the battle. Of course, nostalgia turned out to be mindless fucking on his king sized bed. Syaoran is not one to decorate; his room is clean and empty as ever, with only the necessary furniture occupying it. The black and white scheme of the bedroom causes my blood on the bed sheets to appear vivid and almost beautiful; I gaze at it before turning my attention to Syaoran, who is staring at a picture frame that I gave him. I see the photo of us together, grinning widely at the camera; it had been a day when we had gone to the beach with Tomoyo and Eriol, and Tomoyo had insisted on taking pictures of every single thing. Now I realize with bitterness that this photo will probably be the last one of our laughter.

"They sure were confident that we were going to show up," Syaoran scoffs, lighting a cigarette and breaking my train of thoughts. "No one's been trying to get us since we arrived, and they seem to not even care that we're just loitering around here." He takes the photo out of the frame and places it on the table beside his gun, intending to take it with him. I smile slightly.

"Even if they tried taking us by force, they'd just suffer casualties. And they know us; they know we wouldn't walk away from Eriol," I sigh. I close the curtains, blocking out the view of outside.

"That's what pisses me off the most," breathes Syaoran, rolling his eyes.

"The Barastelle really controls everything, doesn't it?" I sigh, "Ever since the Crimson Night, everyone has been taking the Barastelle's word as law."

"Fear can be the most useful tool to gaining absolute power, after all," replies Syaoran with a dull voice. He heads towards the bathroom, and I hear him step into the shower.

I gather a blanket around my body, open the curtains slightly and stare out the window once more, seeing the peak of the Barastelle Headquarters. It really makes me sick; a place that is supposed to provide people with protection, so corrupt that I can almost see black air surrounding the building. A place I once trusted, now a place where I may be murdered. A place that turned one of my only friends against us, and forced my own brother to have to turn away from me. It truly is a place of beginnings and endings. I want to bring the truth to light, and just live peacefully without ever holding a weapon again. But I know that in order to bring tranquility, I have to fight, and I have to fight hard. I will need to be as violent and aggressive as I am capable of. I need to protect Syaoran, Eriol, Tomoyo, Touya… I empty my thoughts as Syaoran comes out of the bathroom, dressed in a black dress shirt and jeans. I wordlessly walk into the shower, feeling the warm water soothe my skin.

They killed my parents.

They named my parents traitors.

They're using Eriol against us.

I clench my fists, turning off the water. I let my hair drip, watching the drain as everything disappears into it. I'll make them disappear too. Once they're gone, Syaoran will be free; I will be free. Those corrupt bastards will disappear. With a determined smirk, I step into the dryer, dressing into a pair of black shorts and tanktop; my favourite outfit when I'm going to hunt. This time, I'm hunting for beings that are blacker than Vampires. I walk out of the bathroom and look at Syaoran. He looks as resolved as I am.

"Let's go," I say, grabbing the gun from the table.

He nods.

We leave the room, leaving no traces of our stay except for the crumpled bed sheets.

There's no turning back.

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We don't bother elaborating ourselves with contact lens or wigs; we merely hide our faces under an umbrella, walking side by side down the street. The rain is falling heavily, surrounding us with a frail shield of raindrops and a silent sanctuary. We walk without any words, with Syaoran holding the umbrella over our heads and me grasping his arm. Soon we're in the Air Tunnel, which takes us to the elevators of my apartment. I slowly press the button, almost not remembering my own room number. The next second, we are in front of my door, and I place my hand over the sensor, typing in the security code and scanning my eyes. What use is this system if the Barastelle can override it with just a wave of its hand?

The door opens, and Syaoran and I tense. However, it seems as though no one is here yet. Perhaps they're planning to surprise us; perhaps they're running late because of the rain. I take in the view of my apartment, remembering how everything started in this space. I brought Syaoran here, and allowed him to bite my throat. We walk into the bedroom, gazing at the open bathroom. This is where everything unfolded, fell apart, came together. Syaoran gently holds my hand from behind, pulling me close.

"Don't look back," he whispers, his lips moving against my throat. "Just keep moving forward."

"Can you practice what you preach, old man?" I smile, leaning against him.

His tongue traces the now-permanent scar of his fang marks, carefully placing his teeth and biting down without any trace of hesitation. I close my eyes with a sigh, feeling the sense of exhilaration entering my mind once more. However, our moment is cut short as Syaoran swiftly stops drinking, sucking on my throat to make it stop bleeding quickly.

"Looks like it's almost time for showdown," he breathes, placing a big bandaid on my wound as he backs up against the doorframe. "This sure will catch their attention. Be ready for some catty remarks."

I smirk, pressing down on my throat and turning to face him. I raise my gun, pointing it directly at his forehead. "Are we going to go without a fight?" I ask quietly.

He grasps his own gun, grinning mischievously, "Where's the fun in that?"

With that, I activate my weapon, and Syaoran ducks under to quickly move around me. In a synchronized motion, we both start firing, seemingly aimlessly, but we produce startled grunts from all around us. There goes my couch and dining table. We both jump into the air, accurately taking out the next line of the surrounding assailants, who had silently entered the apartment. But they picked the wrong opponent; Syaoran has the keenest of senses when it comes to these things. They did a decent job though, since they had already begun to stand in formation before we pounced upon them.

Syaoran and I come together behind mangled couch for momentary cover. "Where the hell's that bastard?" Syaoran growls, referring to Anderson.

I shrug, shooting a Hunter who had bravely charged after us. "Why are they insisting on making such a scene in my apartment? Aren't there civilians around here?"

"I'm pretty sure they evacuated the building, idiot," Syaoran rolls his eyes and gets up, shooting with a smirk on his face. "I wonder how long we will have to keep this up."

"I'm having fun," I grin, jumping into the air and kicking a group of Hunters to the ground. "Hey! Watch those drawers! They have my favorite picture frames!" I quickly shoot the threat down, ducking to avoid being plummeted in the face with a chair. I knee the attack in the groin, shoving him towards the kitchen and throwing the chair that he dropped back at him and another pair of idiots.

Soon, we take down most of the people who are in my apartment, until the door opens again.

"That's enough," says the dreaded voice.

"Done already?" I roll my eyes and turn to face the intruder, who walks uninvited to the space between the living room and the dining room, where we are standing.

Syaoran scowls in recognition, "It's about time you got here, you bastard," he points his gun at Anderson's face.

"Such a ferocious face, Syaoran Li," Anderson smirks, "You have indeed become a monster."

"I'm sorry for having such monstrous good looks," Syaoran replies easily, but his tone drops as his eyes sharpen, "I heard you gave my baby quite the hard time back in the Barastelle, and I never really got to confront you about it."

Anderson snickers, "She's just food for you, isn't she, Vampire? Don't act like she's something precious to you in another sense."

I frown at Anderson's usual hostility, and even more so when Syaoran charges at him with a ready fist. Syaoran swings his punch at Anderson's face, but the Agent avoids it, stepping backwards and smirking easily.

"So driven by anger. Stop emphasizing the fact that you are a beast," he scoffs as Syaoran shoots at his head, narrowly missing and instead drilling a hole through the wall.

"I don't want to kill you," Syaoran smirks, "I want to tear you apart slowly, ripping piece by piece using just my teeth. I'm going to make sure you feel every single rip, to spill as much blood as possible; I doubt I'll be turned on by the stench though, since even animals wouldn't drink such a defiled and disgusting thing. I'll make you feel the terror and pain that you made my _precious baby _feel, only a thousand times more intensely. Now_ that's_ beastly."

Even I shiver from hearing his little speech, despite the lack of definite details; Syaoran was definitely capable of doing that kind of thing if he truly hated someone, and that was Anderson. You don't make an enemy out of Syaoran Li.

Anderson smirks in reply, "Are you done?"

"No, I'm just starting, you motherfucker," Syaoran spits at him, charging with full force and ferocity. In that second, I realize that he is about to fulfill the description that he just provided.

Anderson would not have stood a chance if it were not for Eriol entering the room at gunpoint, and he probably was fully aware of it; that's why he didn't bring him in until this moment. At the sight of Eriol, Syaoran rolls his eyes, growling menacingly. "You coward," spits Syaoran at Anderson, "You're scared shitless, aren't you? You probably have an army waiting outside the building to protect you from us. And you," he narrows his eyes at Eriol, "You're an idiot."

Eriol lowers his head. I feel tears welling up in my eyes as I notice the self-hate and pain on his face; there are such dark bags under his eyes, and he has lost so much weight since we last saw him. It doesn't even look like Eriol; it's a mere shell, a doll that was designed to look like him in appearance. There's no trace of the Eriol that we know and love. "You shouldn't have come," Eriol whispers in a hoarse voice.

"You're the one who called," Syaoran shakes his head, dropping his gun and mockingly raising his arms. "Not like I'm going to ignore a booty call from you."

There is not even a flicker of a smile on Eriol's face at that; he merely shakes his head, lowering it even further. I stared at the man holding the gun against him, thinking that maybe I could take him out, and leave Syaoran to rip Anderson apart. We may not escape if there truly is an army waiting outside, which is probably true, but at least we can get rid of this tyrannical, sadistic bastard.

At that moment, Anderson suddenly lashes out, punching Syaoran hard in the face. I scream, and Eriol flinches, his Hunter instincts causing him to straighten his stance. Syaoran glares up at Anderson, his fists trembling visibly in fury and helplessness. Anderson gets ready to strike again, but my endurance snaps and I instantly shoot his arm off.

The Agent screams in pain, clutching his maimed limb. Everyone is stunned, including myself; however, the Hunter holding Eriol suddenly aims at me, and I instantly shoot him down. Eriol, now free, stares at the gun on the floor and grabs it, out of pure instinct rather than logic. However, there is more color and life in his expression now; he systematically hunts down the dumbfounded Hunters behind me and the few who are waiting outside the door.

Syaoran, grinning in excitement and his pupils dilating, reclaims his gun and shoots Anderson mercilessly, but enough to keep him alive, staying true to his words. The Agent roars out in anger and pain, curling up in the pool of his own blood. However, Syaoran remains sane, as such corrupted and hated blood does not appeal to him in anyways. Perhaps it would have been in Anderson's interests for Syaoran to be driven by a desire to drink his blood; then he would have met a more peaceful end.

"If I had a choice, I would lock you up in this condition for as long as possible, taking off joint by joint and limb by limb," says Syaoran in a dark voice, "After all, you had the nerve to lay your hands on Sakura."

For the first time, I begin to fear Syaoran's feelings for me; I just want to be loved by him, but this does not seem like love. Obsession? Over-protection? He told me that my feelings for him is not love, but then what is this? Is this love? Wanting to torture someone for hurting the loved one? Would I do the same for Syaoran?

All of a sudden, Eriol begins to scream, startling all of us. "I've carried out my part of the deal! Now tell me where Tomoyo is!" he yells desperately, trembling slightly.

Anderson, to my surprise, laughs, coughing up blood in the process. "You truly are a fool, Hiiragizawa. Did you truly think that the Barastelle would allow traitors to live? Daidouji was executed the moment she was brought before the General."

I freeze, realizing the meaning of his words a moment after hearing them. Of course. Eriol was blackmailed into luring us into this trap for the sake of Tomoyo; they had been caught while researching behind the Barastelle's back, and coerced into serving them. And now, Tomoyo was dead because of us. A tear flowed down my cheek, unable to accept that she was really gone. She is never going to laugh with us, go to the beach with us, cheerfully take pictures of us to make memories…. She is never coming back again. I'm never going to see her again.

Eriol was crying. He probably knew; he probably already knew that there was no way to save her, long before he made the call to us. But he needed that faint ray of hope, the inkling of hope that she might desperately be waiting for him to free her from damnation. He knew, but he didn't want to believe that she was gone. So he called us, out of desperation, and out of loneliness and fear. Now, he was overwhelmed with guilt and sadness that none of us could console.

Syaoran grit his teeth. "You disgust me," he whispers, looking down at the mangled Agent, "How do you continue to serve the Barastelle with such unwavering loyalty while knowing everything about it?"

Anderson smirks. It was quite impressive that he could even talk in his condition; just what kind of training had he been through? "My wife was one of the first ones who were bitten by the loose Vampires," he says hoarsely, coughing blood and breathing heavily, "She killed our month-old child, devoured the blood before my eyes, and tried to have me, too. I shot the monster in the head. My wife was dead as soon as she was bitten. Vampires are all the same. Beasts. And the Barastelle is the only thing that can moderate them, even if they are the ones responsible," the hatred in his eyes intensifies as he stares straight into my eyes, "You think you could save him? Don't be ignorant; unless the Barastelle wants to give up on this entire project, Vampires will continue to exist. And he is no longer the person you used to know."

So even a bastard like Anderson has a story like that. It's surprising to know that the man has a reason behind his sadism. However, I can't bring myself to feel sorry for him and his twisted logic in the slightest bit. I feel myself waver slightly, as I know that Syaoran has changed since he became a Vampire. However, I shake my thoughts away. "You're the ignorant one," I whisper, "The Barastelle is the source for all these misfortunes, and more will come out of rebelling against it than conforming to it."

"No," breathes Anderson, "You foolish girl, there is no way to stop them. You don't understand," he coughs, groaning in pain. "The best way is to allow the Barastelle to have their way and control all the Vampires, as they were meant to be."

Syaoran seems to have lost his taste for torturing Anderson any longer. "You really are a bastard," he mutters before delivering the final bullet to his head, ending his misery and life.

Dull, I walk to Eriol, who has been silently staring into nothing in despair. I embrace him, thanking him, apologizing, and thanking him again. Syaoran comes and pats his back as well, unable to offer any words of comfort. I walk to my drawers, taking out the picture frames that I had protected from the attack.

It's a picture of all four of us – Syaoran, Tomoyo, Eriol and me, grinning with Saks Fifth Avenue in the background. It had been an automated robot intended for tourists that took the picture while we were taking a rare break and shopping together. Such precious memories, such little things that I'm going to miss forever. Inside the drawer, there is also a picture of Tomoyo that I clumsily took, and she is beaming brightly with a thick book in her hand. This one was taken in the Barastelle Library while we were researching for a case. I smile tearfully and hand the picture of Tomoyo to Eriol, who accepts it with trembling hands. I take one of the two copies of our group pictures from the picture frame, neatly pocketing it.

We have nowhere to go but onwards.

"Let's go, Eriol," I call out cheerfully, "We got some hunting to do."

Syaoran smirks, punching Eriol on the shoulder. "Come on, show us those skills you always boasted of."

Smiling sadly and never letting go of Tomoyo's photo, Eriol nods. "Let's go."

Syaoran and I take the lead, heading towards the door. Eriol pauses, looking behind him in a puzzled way. We all stop as well, and our eyes widen as we realize the problem.

Agents and Hunters on official duties are required to carry devices that connect them to the rest of the team; for the event in which the entire team perishes and only the Vampire remains, the device is set to explode after a set time if it senses a Vampire nearby and the team dead.

"Shit," Syaoran curses, "Run for it!"

We all dash to the door, Syaoran kicking it down for our convenience. Syaoran and I pass through the door, looking back to check for Eriol. A chill runs through my body as I realize that he had dropped the picture of Tomoyo in his haste and turned back to get it. He's still in the living room. He can still make it; he's a fast runner. An ominous feeling.

"Eriol!" I scream at the top of my lungs, frozen to the ground in desperation.

Eriol turns to us and smiles widely, just like he always used to, and begins running towards us. The next moment, he's swallowed by the flames of the explosion.

I scream even louder, but my voice is unheard over the sound of the bomb; Syaoran, being critical and quick as always, grabs me and runs at top speed towards the elevators, instantly pressing the button. The door closes behind us and the elevator shoots down, unshaken by the explosion due to it being inside a fireproof case.

I slump down, unable to believe that I lost my only friends. Tomoyo, brutally executed by the Barastelle, and Eriol, consumed by the Barastelle's bomb, along with the picture of his lover and the frame containing the precious memory of the four of us. I sob out loud, finally breaking. "Eriol," I call out hysterically, "Tomoyo…"

Syaoran bows his head in sadness, clenching his fists. The doors open and he has to force me up and out of the elevator. He checks around us, and sees no army waiting for us as we expected. But they probably will come soon. Yet I don't care at the moment; all I can think about is Eriol's last smile, and Tomoyo's last laugh. I caress the photo inside my pocket preciously. Syaoran sighs, staring up at the smoking apartment.

"That idiot," he whispers.

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**Chapter ****17 – Friends ****– ****End –**

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GODDAMIT I WANT TO WRITE IN 3RD PERSON PERSPECTIVE! I kept writing in 3rd person, and had to keep changing it back to 1st… But I guess this story serves better in 1st person? Sigh….

And how was that? It turned out pretty long! And three deaths in one chapter... things are definitely heading towards the ultimate climax! :P I was planning on a gorier end for Anderson, and Eriol wasn't supposed to die this way, but as I wrote, things just turned out this way. As usual! I wonder how the ending is going to turn out... xD

Thanks for keeping up with me until now, and thanks again for the 1000 reviews! Really means alot! Keep them coming!

Love!


	18. Chapter 18: Rebellion

**Note:** It's been a while. Sorry for the long wait, and thank you for sticking with me. To be honest, I'm not completely satisfied with any kind of ending that I'm trying to put to this story, which partly is the reason for the long period of no updates… Major case of writer's block I guess? I'm constantly changing the endings, but I'm just going to try and go ahead and see where it goes, like I have been this whole time. 5 years and still not finished… hahaha… Keep with me until the end! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Disclaimer:** CLAMP owns the actual characters of Cardcaptor Sakura. I own the story and how the characters turn out to be within the story.

**Music:** Big Bang – Monster (Note: I LOVE this song. When I heard it I immediately thought of this story XD… I even automatically formed my own version of the music video inside my head…)

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**+ Vampire Hunter + **

**Chapter 18 – Rebellion**

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_"I love you, baby I'm not a monster. _

_You know how I was in the past, _

_and you know that I'll disappear in time, baby…_

_I need you, baby I'm not a monster._

_If even you leave me, I know I'll just die._

_I'm not a monster."_

_- Big Bang, Monster_

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It's a bright and sunny day, mocking the bitter losses we've faced. In my hand, Eriol and Tomoyo smile, forever frozen in the photograph. The ghost of their laughter echoes in my memories as I see the Barastelle, basking in the sunlight and standing majestically against the landscape. It's a glorious sight, but the entire being of the institution, which I blindly followed in the past, has long lost its shine and authority. I angrily wipe away a stray tear, fighting against the burning sensation in my eyes. Syaoran glances over at me, taking in a deep breath before drawing the curtains.

We've retreated to an abandoned pub in the harlem alleys, thrown off guard by Eriol's death. We're right under the noses of the Barastelle, and it's a matter of time before we run out of options.

I gently pocket the photo, turning to face Syaoran. I wish I were as strong as him; he hasn't shed a single tear following the deaths of our best friends, keeping his head on revenge. Or maybe his heart has just become too tired and hurt to even think of basking in depression.

He silently reaches out, caressing my face with such tenderness that it pains me. "We fight, Sakura," he says quietly, "That's what we've been doing the entire time. Our objectives may have changed, but we're still us."

I nod slowly. We can't let Eriol and Tomoyo have died in vain. If we can't run, the only thing we can do is fight with all we can. We were once Hunters, driven to be the hunted. It's time to change it up again, to hunt those who hunt us.

"We'll bring down the head, at least," Syaoran mutters, "What have we got to lose, right? Churchill's the most dangerous, but the target with the most impact." He waves his hand dramatically, mockingly almost. "I guess this is the situation where helpless, desperate animals are driven into a corner, turning them into unpredictably dangerous creatures."

"The only time I actually saw that guy was in my trial," I grimace, "We don't even know where he is."

"He's in his office," he answers confidently, "You may not have paid attention to these things while we were there, but the General had a reputation for being a workaholic. Besides, I think you're missing out on a crucial point here."

I stare at him. "Well, seeing as we didn't really have a plan to begin with, except to just show up like Eriol told us to, I don't think it's my fault."

"Your brother, Sakura," Syaoran smirks, "We need to see him."

"Why is my brother being dragged into this now?" I exclaim, frustrated.

He flicks his fingers at my forehead, causing me to swing a punch at his face. He jumps back gracefully with his trademark confident expression. "His fiancée is the General's secretary."

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We're lucky, and that's not even enough to put it. Syaoran discreetly takes a phone from a passed out figure in front of another shady bar down the alley, and when I call Touya, he's with Kaho, having been granted a rare holiday so that he may mourn for our parents on their death anniversary. They immediately come see us, and it doesn't quite sink in, even as Touya pulls me into a hug. I only begin to realize the situation is real as Syaoran calmly explains what has been going on, and what we plan to do.

Kaho's face is white as she listens, and Touya is silenced.

"So let me get this straight," he laughs darkly, "Basically, our parents were murdered because they were against the fact that half-humans were actually freak experiments using real people, and now the Barastelle's so desperate to catch you two because they fear you've learned something?" As I look at my brother, I painfully notice the dark shadows under his eyes, wary and exhausted, and realize how much thinner he has gotten since I last saw him.

"And we've lost Eriol and Tomoyo," Kaho whispers.

Syaoran sighs, "What we were thinking is cut the head from the body," he makes a subtle movement of his hand, as if cutting through the air, "And leak this information to the public simultaneously. Defences will be maximized if the news goes out, so we'll sneak in while we can, and while we're doing the job, people will learn the truth."

Touya frowns, crossing his arms. He looks pretty calm and collected for someone who's just been told such a horrid story. "Exactly how are you going to break into the Barastelle, or even the General's office?"

Kaho smiles. "I see," she closes her eyes, "He's going to be in his office for most of the day today, preparing for an important meeting with worldwide authorities. He's readying his documents and speech."

Touya looks at her in surprise.

I grin, reaching to hug her. "Thanks, Kaho."

Syaoran smirks. "I didn't think you were one to trust so quickly."

"Do you have any reason to lie to us?" she smiles, "Besides, being the secretary, I did notice some oddities here and there. I just didn't think to investigate or even wonder."

"Oddities?" Syaoran narrows his eyes.

"The General's deathly afraid of Vampires, it seems," Kaho reveals calmly, "It's subtle, but I noticed how he always keeps sanitizers nearby, and anti-Vampire devices are installed in every corner of his office. I almost suspected him of having an obsessive-compulsive disorder."

"I guess that explains why Hunters rarely see him," Touya rolls his eyes, "The almighty General's really scared of Vampires that he is in charge of hunting."

Syaoran smirks. "Is the Head Analyst on duty today?"

"No, Yuki took the day off with us. He's going to meet up with us later," answers Touya.

"Perfect," Syaoran sighs, "The goddess of victory is on our side for now, it seems. If all this goes well, we won't need to even worry for your safety. It's now or never."

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It pains me to watch Touya leave with Kaho, especially with the sorrowful look in his eyes. He's scared for me, but he also knows there's nothing else that can be done than to fight. And learning that the institution he placed his life to fight for is the very reason for our parents' deaths… I realize how much more mentally trained my brother is when I see his composed expression. He's truly strong.

"We'll let you know when we talk with Yuki," Touya says, handing over a phone from his pocket, "This one's my personal phone, so use it with care."

"Don't blame us if we have to blow it up," Syaoran smirks, taking it.

Touya rolls his eyes. "And you," he looks at me pointedly, almost tiredly, "Don't… act too rashly. You're not a kid anymore."

I nod with a smile, crossing my arms. "I think the same goes for you too, brother."

"Be careful," Kaho says gently, sincerely.

As they disappear from view, Syaoran is busy using the phone to hack into various networks. We retreat into a secluded alley, sitting down by the bricks.

"Commander Kinomoto hasn't changed a bit, huh," Syaoran smirks, "So righteous and good."

I grin. "He's always been the just kind of guy."

"It's just a matter of time now, for the Barastelle to find out we aren't in the blown up mass of corpses back there," he sobers up.

"We have such a dramatic plan," I lean back against the wall, feeling the cool bricks against my head, "But we can't go around hiding anymore, right?"

"If you think about it," he continues in a low voice, "It's so easy to question the origins of half-humans. Of course it would make sense to use living humans as subjects, than to create a clone-like being from scratch. Yet no one dared question the Barastelle when they announced that the half-humans were created from sophisticated technology, nothing else. It really shows the tyranny and absolute power those fuckers hold over the people. We can't let this go on."

"Maybe there even is a cure," I say softly, carefully, "Maybe they're just hiding it so that they can continue their research after collecting their… specimens back."

He looks at me. "And maybe all those Hunters who were taken into "custody" after being bitten… They're just suffering from more experiments and tests somewhere."

"This is insane," I cover my face with my hands, head spinning, "So how are we going to break this to the public?"

"Well, the Head Analyst is on our side," Syaoran smirks, "He could easily tap into the network and broadcast a few messages across the city, and maybe even the country. Word will spread fast, and it'll be unstoppable once people start spamming the web. The real problem is holding up until that happens. We have to distract the Barastelle to move their defences to our attacks, but of course it's pretty much suicidal. Although I do have confidence against most of those idiots, since I'm the best fucking Hunter there ever will be."

I can't help but grin. "The teleportation system in the Barastelle," I remember, "If it could be deactivated somehow, we could even reach the General's office without worrying that he'll escape."

"I've never seen the Barastelle run out of energy," Syaoran ponders, "But there must be a way."

"Of course there is," a deep voice muses from above, causing us to bolt upwards with our guns the next moment. Leonard chuckles as he easily jumps down to our level. "So you've finally decided to fight?"

I look at him. "Are you in?" I carefully ask, lowering my weapon.

"I suppose this is the only chance to repay our debts to your parents," Leonard crosses his arms with a curious look.

I suddenly realize why Leonard has always been running into us, dropping by randomly and out of nowhere. It wasn't sheer curiosity, or anything else. It's because my parents stood up for them all when no one else would. And the half-humans have just as much of a reason to fight, if not more.

"Vampires may just cause unnecessary deaths, though," Syaoran frowns, "I'm sure most of those idiots at the Barastelle will be confused and unable to fight when they learn the truth. The trick is to time all of this perfectly."

"Who says the Barastelle should be attacked first?" Leonard suddenly smirks, "Take things step by step."

Syaoran stares at him before grinning in realization. "I guess you'd be willing to play along, then?"

I look at Syaoran. His eyes tell me he's got it figured out. I'm reassured now.

There's hope.

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**Chapter 18 - Rebellion – End –**

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**Author's Note: **Bridge chapter? Well, with such a long hiatus and all, I would have wanted to come back with a KABOOM, but... A transition is needed, after all. I promise the next chapter will be much longer and have TONS of action and squeal-worthy scenes ;) AND it will be up much quicker than before. Maybe even by next week, if I'm on a roll! I WILL update more before this summer ends, so stay tuned!

Meanwhile, please leave me a review! Even during my hiatus I come back to check on them!

Stick with me until the end, loves!


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